PUDUCHERRY: Thamizhar Desiya Munnani (Tamil National Front) leader P Nedumaran has urged the BJP led-Central government to condemn in the strongest possible way the derogatory remarks in the Sri Lankan government’s Defence Ministry website against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
After the protests, the derogatory remarks were withdrawn and Sri Lanka apologised. But this is not enough. The Central government should condemn the remarks in the strongest possible terms. No other country has dared to make such remarks against any Chief Minister of any State in the country in the past, but Sri Lanka went ahead and did it, the TNF leader told reporters on Monday night.
Pointing that all the political parties of Tamil Nadu, including DMK had united in condemning the remarks against Jayalalithaa, he said this unity of parties should be continued in future also.
He said had the political parties showed this unity in the past, the solutions for issues like Cauvery, Mullaiperiyar would have evolved in favour of the State long back.
Earlier, asked whether a soft stand was adopted by the Indian government, Nedumaran said the BJP government was also towing the same line as the previous Congress governments while dealing with Lanka and this would pose a danger to the country.
As a result of the policies of the Indian governments in the past, Pakistan and China have gained a foothold in the Island nation and this would pose a danger to India in the coming days, he added.
The TNF leader said the previous Manmohan Singh government did not respect the sentiments of Tamils and Congress has lost deposits in 38 LS constituencies and its erstwhile ally DMK also lost deposits in some constituencies.
He said Narendra Modi- led BJP government should learn a lesson from this.
The TNF also urged the BJP government to retrieve Katchatheevu island, which was ceded to Sri Lankan government following an agreement.
Asked about the CBSE curriculum introduction in Puducherry, Nedumaran said he was opposed to the move.