CHENNAI: Concerned over the raging controversy on ‘LTTE threat’ to Mullaiperiyar dam and the State government being blamed on this count, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has directed to file an additional affidavit in the Supreme Court distancing from the Intelligence Bureau report on the decimated Tigers.
Disclosing this in a statement here on Monday, Finance and PWD Minister O Panneerselvam said the affidavit will be filed immediately to clarify that the State government was not in agreement with the IB on this. He denied the opposition charge that the government had contended before the apex court that the LTTE was posing threat to Mullaiperiyar dam.
The IB report was merely appended to the additional petition filed on July 1 before the apex court to reiterate the need for Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) protection, the minister pointed out. The IB had only stated that important structures in the country including Mullaiperiyar faced possible threats from LeT, JeM and naxalites. The report also said after the elimination of the LTTE in Sri Lanka, its remnant members have been trying to regroup and that they have taken an anti-India stand since New Delhi had failed to help the Tigers in their final war. Though there is no specific threat from these outfits, it called for precautionary steps.
“The Intelligence Bureau had not specifically charged the LTTE with posing a threat to the Mullaiperiyar dam. However, since the issue has given rise to unnecessary debate and the State government is being blamed, Chief Minister has directed to file an additional affidavit before the apex court to clear the air”, he said.
At present, three petitions of TN government regarding Mullaiperiyar are pending before the apex court.
When Tamil Nadu filed a petition seeking to deploy CISF forces at Mullaiperiyar dam site in December 2011, Kerala promised the Supreme Court that it would take all steps to protect the dam. Accepting this promise, the Supreme Court had disposed of the petition.
“When the case was being heard, the DMK was a partner of the UPA Government at the Centre. Why Karunanidhi had failed to urge the Centre then to deploy CISF at Mullaiperiyar dam? Can we conclude that it was Karunanidhi who had restrained the Centre on CISF deployment?” he asked.
He also referred to the charge of Ananthi Sasidharan, member of Northern Provincial Council in Sri Lanka, that her husband Sasidharan, LTTE commander of Trincomalee, had spoken to Kanimozhi on the night of May 16, 2009 wherein the DMK MP advised LTTE cadre to surrender and that she would guarantee their release. Only after this assurance, hundreds of LTTE cadre had surrendered.
“Let Karunanidhi answer this first instead of reeling out imaginary charges against the Tamil Nadu government”, the minister added.