TOI
Chennai, Apr 27: Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi launched an indefinite fast on Monday morning demanding immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
He went to the memorial of C N Annadurai, his mentor, and paid floral tribute to the late leader before going on fast.
“This is my sacrifice for the Tamil cause,” the chief minister said. “Let me be another victim of Rajapaksa’s (Lanka president) genocide.”
Sitting on a wheel chair, Karunanidhi said he did not want DMK men to go on a fast. "It is my decision and I do not want others to join," he said even as a host of DMK leaders, including his daughter Kanimozhi and his grand nephew Kalanidhi Maran rushed to spot to see him, PTI reported.
"I have decided to offer my life to the increasing numbers of lives lost due to the Sinhalese regime's continuing cruel acts against the Tamil ethnic minority in the war in Sri Lanka," Karunanidhi told reporters.
"After the Tamil Tigers offered unilateral truce (Sunday), I stayed awake the whole night surfing television channels and radio stations to hear good news. Since that did not happen, I have decided to embark upon this endeavour on behalf of all the Tamils of the world," he added, according to IANS.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Karunanidhi, after hearing he was on a hunger strike in Chennai, and said the government would do its best to bring peace to Sri Lanka. Manmohan Singh said his government was trying to influence Sri Lanka to end its hostilities in order to save civilian lives.
In New Delhi, Congress general secretary M. Veerappa Moily told reporters that the prime minister was concerned about Karunanidhi's health and has got in touch with him on the telephone.
LTTE offered a unilateral truce on Sunday which was summarily rejected by the Sri Lanka government. LTTE's truce offer came on a day when the Lankan forces captured the strategic Vlayarmadam area and encircled the remaining 6 sq km strip of land where Prabhakaran and his top aides are believed to be holed up in. The LTTE said the "suffering inflicted on our people by the Sri Lankan armed forces in violation of all international humanitarian laws has now reached its peak".
AIADMK general secretary Jayalalitha said on Saturday that the establishment of a separate 'Eelam' homeland was the only solution for the Tamil minority in the island.
On Friday, Karunanidhi had asked the Centre to snap all diplomatic relations with the island nation if it did not honour India's latest appeal for a ceasefire in the embattled northern parts. The DMK president sent a telegram to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee who on Friday made the appeal to the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to respond to the Tamil civilian problem.
Karunanidhi has been demanding a permanent ceasefire and an amicable solution to the ethnic strife within the framework of a unified Sri Lanka with minority Tamils treated on par with the Sinhalese.
Last week, the Tamil Nadu chief minister inflicted serious embarrassment on Congress by calling LTTE chief Prabhakaran a proclaimed offender in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, a "good friend".
Karunanidhi, who was speaking to a TV channel, also refused to describe the LTTE chief as a terrorist, though he faulted him for using "wrong methods". "Their goals are right, but method is wrong," he said of the LTTE, declared a terrorist organisation in India.
The Sri Lankan Tamils problem is snowballing into a major campaign issue in the run up to the May 13 Lok Sabha polls with all major opposition parties turning the spotlight on it.