However, Karunanidhi’s latest bout of poetry-writing — a touching elegy for S.P. Tamilselvan, the LTTE’s political wing chief killed in an aerial attack on November 2 — kicked up a storm. The situation has been further aggravated with the arrest on Monday of MDMK leader, Vaiko, and several pro-LTTE leaders and supporters. These leaders were detained under Section 13 (1) (2) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act ‘for attempting to take out a rally in support of a banned organisation without permission’. Even as he was dragged away from the podium by the police, Vaiko was heard shouting: “Karunanidhi appears to be only fooling the people. Even before the ink has dried on the elegy he has written for Tamilselvan, he is creating problems for us.”

Karunanidhi’s poetic tribute to Tamilselvan — “a face always smiling; a heart that broke down all opposition; a youthful man with a heart as strong as the Himalayas; a commander who developed at the footsteps of Balasingham, the old lion; a noble youth who considered his life manure for his liberation struggle; one who was like life to us, like a brother to us, oh, Selva, he who etched his fame on every Tamil heart, and every Tamil home, where have you gone?” — is likely to prove a handy missile for his detractors, with former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa prime among them of course.

His ally, Congress, too was hardly thrilled. On Monday, members of the state Congress legislature party unanimously adopted a resolution which said Karunanidhi’s elegy brought “tears of blood” to their eyes. While Karunanidhi dismissed the elegy as a “humanitarian gesture towards a fellow Tamil”, Jayalalithaa stepped up her demand for his government’s dismissal for “glorifying a member of a banned outfit” whose leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, was still wanted for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

... contd.