THE LTTE SUFFERS A HEAVY SLUMP OF SYMPATHY IN TAMIL NADU , SECOND ONLY TO RAJIV KILLING DUE TO KIDNAPPING

By Walter Jayawardhana

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has suffered a slump in its sympathy in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, second only to the fall of popularity of the group suffered immediately after the assassination of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi , sources in Chennai said.

The only difference is this time the Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi who has been the pro-LTTE Chief Minister on both occasions has not been removed from his position by the Central government in New Delhi, like last time, they added.

Karunanidhi’s existence this time is dependent on the Congress dominated Central government in New Delhi , who in turn are dependent on Karunanidhi for its existence for center’s parliamentary support, analysts pointed out.

Karunanidhi led DMK government’s leniency towards the Tamil terrorist group, although led to the kidnapping and murder of Tamil fishermen, he was able to keep a public distance from them , while his family maintained clandestine relationship with the terrorist group political analysts charged.
The outspoken leader of India’s Janata Party, Subramanian Swami said during the days in Singapore , Karunanidhi’s daughter was a sympathizer of the Tamil terrorist group and continued it after her arrival in Tamil Nadu. Kanimozhi, the Tamil poetess daughter of Karunanidhi is said to be very influential over her father.

But being the experienced politician Karunanidhi by using varied public relations methods was able to win part of the sympathy created for the fishermen in the state this time, for him , the sources said.
But , the ordeal of 70 days suffered by the fishermen has caused the LTTE irreparable damage all over India and especially in the Southern states including Tamil Nadu heavily officials said.

While the LTTE has been flatly denying a hand in the kidnapping and the killing of the fishermen and blaming the Sri Lankan Navy for it, corroborated by Karunanidhi himself ,some of its own members spilled the beans to the Tamil Nadu police that it was the LTTE who were the perpetrators of the crimes.

As the victims of the Tamil Tigers , 11 fishermen from the state, returned to take photos with Karunanidhi, his opponent , and the boat mechanic , Simon Souza, made statements against them from Maldives after being sent there on an errand of gunrunning, sources said the MDMK leader Gopalaswamy Vaiko has become the most embarrassed man in Chennai today. MDMK the extremist party , is believed to be run with funds from the LTTE.