MDMK sings independent Eelam tune in LS poll manifesto

Some of the key issues in the 95-page manifesto include key issues concerning the State like the construction of a dam at Mekedatu across the Cauvery by Karnataka, the immediate release of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and so on.

Later talking to media persons, Vaiko termed the annual grant of Rs 6000 announced by the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre as an insult to the farmers.

Strongly criticising the farmer-friendly initiative, the MDMK leader in his own style said, “Rs 6000 per annum is just Rs 500 per month and no one can insult farmers more [than this]. Instead of announcing this kind of a dole, farmers should have been guaranteed a substantial increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP).”

“When farmers from Tamil Nadu staged protests in New Delhi, Modi did not even meet them. Insult to the State’s farmers was a disrespect to the entire State,” he said.

Vaiko said that the MDMK will stress the Centre to put pressure on the UN for a referendum to form an independent Tamil Eelam along with a demand for an international probe into the 2009 Eelam war.

When confronted with his past comments against the Congress for helping Sri Lanka in the Eelam war and now aligning with the same party, Vaiko replied that at present there was a grave threat to democracy from the Modi government. “Modi wanted Hindi, Hindu and ‘Hindia’. He is inflicting great damage to the democratic nature of the country. It is [therefore] our priority to defeat Modi and his anti-democratic stance”, he explained

When asked if Congress coming to power at the Centre, the demand on Tamil Eelam will be taken up then, Vaiko said that the issue has been listed in the manifesto and his party would insist with whoever forms the next government at the Centre.