India's stance mustn't be RAW-fed | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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India's stance mustn't be RAW-fed

None | ByNagesu S Singam, Toronto, Canada
Jul 03, 2006 06:56 PM IST

The Indian intelligence officials referred to in Meenakshi Iyer's article as well as the Sinhalese of the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror, conveniently forget pages of history that do not suit them: Rajiv Gandhi was killed because he acted on wrong advice and he wrongly ordered the killings of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians, the rape of many hundreds of Tamil women, the indefinite detention and torture of many more thousands of Tamils and the destruction of their homes and even Hindu temples, in North and East of Sri Lanka.

The Indian intelligence officials referred to in Meenakshi Iyer's article as well as the Sinhalese of the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror, conveniently forget pages of history that do not suit them: Rajiv Gandhi was killed because he acted on wrong advice and he wrongly ordered the killings of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians, the rape of many hundreds of Tamil women (even a 90-year-old Tamil women was raped by IPKF, according to a speech made in Sri Lankan parliament by Premadasa), the indefinite detention and torture of many more thousands of Tamils, and the destruction of their homes and even Hindu temples, in North and East of Sri Lanka.

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Some Sikh soldiers openly said they were "taking revenge against the Tamils", because Blue Star Operation was carried out by the Madras (Tamil) regiment. At that time, many Tamil villagers in Sri Lanka, innocently asked, what was Blue Star. They have not even heard of Bindharanwale. Sinhalese, since independance in 1948, have all throughout been anti-Indian. In 1948, they brought laws that made Tamils of Indian origin in the Sri Lanka's central highlands "stateless". In 1971, during the Bangladeshi War, Sri Lankan government sided with Pakistan and provided re-fuelling facilities to Pak warplanes in Colombo.

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Tamil MPs objected to this in the Sri Lankan Parliament. Tamils on the otherhand, have always thought of India generally and Tamil Nadu specifically, as another motherland of theirs. In 1964, when India fought against China, I remember Tamils collected "Fund for India's defence" and sent to the Indian government. In the late seventies and early eighties, the then President of Sri Lanka, planned to bring the Voice of America into Sri Lanka to the detriment of India. Indira Gandhi then used Tamil militants diplomatically, so that Jayawardene come running to New Delhi and fell at the lady's feet.

Today's ill-feelings on both sides (Tamils and India) are due to the wrong advice of RAW and South Block officials given to the inexperienced Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his acting on them without consulting at least those Tamil leaders from Sri Lanka like Amirthalingam and Sivasithamparam who had very good relationship with Indira Gandhi. He preferred to trust JN Dixit, Natwar Singh, Romesh Bhandari, Hindu's editor N Ram and others who were on Sri Lanka's pay roll.

Until now, no Indian leader has expressed regrets for the holocaust against Eelam Tamils carried out by the IPKF. Let us wait to see when it would dawn on the Indian leaders that they must do so. I fail to see any apology in Dr Balasingam's comments. But, Rajiv was the son of our beloved mother Indira Gandhi who sympathised with us Tamils.

I think Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Manmohan Singh should take a firm decision to put behind them, the unfortunate events of the recent past and make policy decisions that would, in the long run, benefit not only the Eelam Tamils, but also India. If you continue to trust the South Block and RAW entirely, and accepted their wrong in-put and advice, and acted on them, like Rajiv did, your failure is guaranteed.

Pakistan undivided was strong and more effective against India. So is Sri Lanka undivided. But, when Tamil Eelam dawns with India's moral support, Indians do not have to worry over their southern border. Tamils will stand guard and protect India at its southern border.

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