Those responsible for Lanka war crimes must face action: DMK

crimes in Sri Lanka faced action.

Referring to a UN report on ‘tens of thousands’ civilian casualties in the final stages of war between Lankan armed forces and LTTE,the party’s high-level committee said it will consult its coalition partners – Congress,PMK and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi,among others,on further course of action.

“Those responsible for these crimes must face action. The centre should make efforts in this regard,” a resolution adopted by the committee to discuss the situation arising out of party MP Kanimozhi being named in the CBI chargesheet in 2G spectrum scam,said.

It recalled arch rival AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa’s statement that ‘casualties were common during conflict,’ and said the DMK would not make such comments and rather expect action against persons responsible for alleged war crimes.

A UN panel in its report had said that killing of tens of thousands of people in the final stages of civil strife in the island nation could amount to ‘war crimes.’

The party also thanked those who had voted for the DMK-led alliance in the April 13 Assembly polls despite ‘misleading tactics’ by Jayalalithaa.

In a resolution,the committee described as ‘surprising’ Kanimozhi’s inclusion in the chargesheet despite providing all relevant documents on receipt and repayment of Rs 200 crore loan to Kalaignar TV,in which she has 20 per cent stake,from Mumbai based DB Realty.

“It is in court and we will fight it legally,” Kanimozhi said,emerging out of the 90-minute meeting in her first reaction to the CBI charge sheet.

The CBI’s action had fuelled speculation that the DMK might consider pulling out its ministers from the UPA cabinet,but the party preferred to adopt a cautious approach.

The resolution said there was a campaign of calumny against its party leaders in the 2G scam and it would face the issue legally and establish the truth.

The meeting,chaired by Karunanidhi,also attacked a section of the media,saying they had grabbed this as a ‘rare opportunity’ to defame the DMK,make it a political issue and subsequently create lack of confidence among UPA allies and break it.

The DMK resolution said some political leaders,who have made corruption their way of life,are using the 2G issue to unseat Karunanidhi,who it claimed “is the root of the Dravidian movement,” to create panic among party workers,adding that some sections of the media were also part of it.

This was proved by the way reporters posed questions on the 2G issue and carried their reports on it,the resolution said.

The DMK said it would not fall prey to such a campaign as it believed it can establish the truth through legal recourse.

The CBI charge sheet naming Kanimozhi has added strain to the already uneasy DMK-Congress ties in a two month span after the Dravidian party threatened to pull out its ministers over seat-sharing talks for the April 13 Assembly polls.

The DMK was also miffed at the “publicity exercise of gargantuan proportions” given to CBI questioning Kanimozhi,Karunanidhi’s wife Dayaluammal and Sharad Kumar,all stakeholders in Kalaignar TV,which is in an eye of storm for receiving loans from DB Realty in a ‘circuitous route.’

CBI in its chargesheet filed in a Delhi court had accused Kanimozhi of entering into a criminal conspiracy with the prime accused,former Telecom Minister A Raja,besides charging her under the Prevention of Corruption Act for taking illegal gratification through Kalaignar TV.

However,the chargesheet did not name Dayaluammal,who holds 60 per cent stake in Kalaignar TV,as an accused but cited her one of the witnesses in the case.