Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa alone can take up the Eelam issue in Indian Parliament and find a solution to the miseries of Sri Lankan Tamils, said Naam Thamizhar Katchi founder Seeman.

Dismissing the argument that the Eelam Tamil issue would not influence the election results, Seeman, who has been touring the Southern districts campaigning for All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) candidates, said that the issue was still afresh in the minds of Tamils across the State.

“Wherever I had been to in the last 10 days, people expressed their concern for the Tamils suffering in Sri Lanka,” Seeman told Express on the sidelines of a campaign meeting at Sivaganga.

When asked why unlike during the last Parliamentary elections several pro-Tamil groups were not active this time, he said they were very much active, but working silently.

“The national parties are deliberately maintaining silence on issues concerning the rights of Lankan Tamils due to the fear that if Tamil nationalism occupies the centre stage in the political space of the State, it will change the voting pattern in Tamil Nadu,” Seeman remarked.

Only Chief Minister Jayalalithaa understood the sentiments of Tamils and passed resolutions against Sri Lanka in the State Assembly.  “Only the AIADMK can fight for the rights of Tamils after defeating both the national parties in the election,” he said.

Taking a dig at both the Congress and BJP, Seeman said that issues concerning Tamils such as the attacks on TN fishermen, Katchchativu, Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar water dispute and the rights violation in Sri Lankan did not find a mention in the BJP’s manifesto, while the Congress had only promised to look into the Lankan issue in its manifesto, which was just an eyewash.

The DMK, which had ruled the State several times and had been part of the UPA Government for nine years, had also failed to address the Tamils’ issue, he charged. - ENS