LTTE a terrorist outfit, no change in position: PM

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is “a terrorist organisation” and its chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran “a proclaimed offender”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is “a terrorist organisation” and its chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran “a proclaimed offender”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday.

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Two days after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s contentious remarks about the LTTE chief being a “friend”, Manmohan Singh said: “The LTTE is a terrorist organisation. Prabhakran is a proclaimed offender. That position has not changed.”

“Tamil Nadu chief minister has clarified his position. The Congress party spokesperson (Kapil Sibal) has explained (the) Congress position,” the prime minister told Times Now television.

Manmohan Singh was reacting to the DMK chief’s controversial remarks in a television interview in which he described Prabhakaran as a “good friend”. Karunanidhi did a U turn on Monday saying the LTTE was indeed a terrorist outfit and that his remarks were taken out of context.

Sibal on Monday rejected Karunanidhi’s comments as his “personal opinion” and said the Congress views Prabhakaran as a terrorist and the LTTE as an extremist outfit.

The DMK is a key ally of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).