DMK govt softens, cites Centre's limitations on SL issue

The DMK Govt in Tamil Nadu appeared to have softened its posture towards the Centre on the Lankan Tamil issue saying India has 'limitations' in pressing for a ceasfire between the LTTE and the government in the island nation.

The DMK government in Tamil Nadu on Thursday appeared to have softened its posture towards the Centre on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue saying India has 'limitations' in pressing for a ceasfire between the LTTE and the government in the island nation.

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A youth committed sucide here by setting himself ablaze to 'express solidarity' with Lankan Tamils and a group of lawyers pelted stones on the branch of a Sri Lankan Bank while advocates' associations called for a boycott of courts on Lankan issue.

After vehemently pressing for India's intervention to bring about a ceasefire in Sri Lanka, the DMK government today retreated saying there were "limitations on discussing issues of another country".

"Cutting across party lines, we may share similar views (on ceasefire).. But there are limitations while dicussing the issues of another country," senior DMK leader and Minister K Anbazhagan told the state assembly while replying to queries raised by members of various parties on the outcome of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Colombo.

Anbazhagan, also the Leader of the House, read out the entire statement given by Mukherjee in Colombo on January 28 and pointed to the commitment made by India to jointly work with Sri Lanka to ensure peaceful living conditions for Tamils in the island.

"Different media may have given different interpretations of Mukherjee's statement but the central point is to stop killings of Tamils," Anbazhagan said.