Jaya tells PM to speak up on Tamil rights' issue

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha on Wednesday urged the Centre to speak upon the issue of internally displaced Tamils in Sri Lanka and ensure equal rights to them.

“I emphatically plead that at least now the Centre should ask the Sri Lankan government to take steps to ensure equal rights for the Tamils on a par with the Sinhalese, and also ensure that all those living in camps there return to their homes with livelihood security,” said Jayalalitha on Independence Day.

“As we remember our national heroes and celebrate our Independence Day here, a thought goes out for our Tamil brethren in neighbouring Sri Lanka still languishing in refugee camps,” Jayalalitha said.

Her appeal has come close on the heels of the recent DMK-TESO Global Meet, indirectly rebutting their criticism of her government for its alleged “anti-Eezham Tamils stand.”

During her speech, she minced no words on the occasion to send out a strong warning against those “misusing freedom” to violate other people’s rights and dignity, jeopardising their livelihoods or acting against public interest besides, recounting the achievements by her government in the last 15 months.

Meanwhile, expressing anguish at Karnataka for not releasing Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu this year, the AIADMK leader said it had reduced the paddy cultivation this “Kuruvai” season.