Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister
Oommen Chandy on Friday told DMK supremo M Karunanidhi that
Tamilians living in Kerala are "totally safe" and that the
apprehensions voiced by him in this regard in the wake of
tension between the two states over the Mullaperiyar dam issue
were "unfounded".
In a letter to Karunanidhi, Chandy said there was no room
for any fear about the safety of Tamilians living in Kerala
or their properties as well as the pilgrims visiting the
hill shrine Sabarimala.
Chandy wrote to Karunanidhi in the backdrop of the latter
expressing apprehensions about the safety of Tamil people
in Kerala in a recent memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.
"It is unfortunate that some false propaganda has been
going on in parts of Tamil Nadu to the effect that Tamilians
are unsafe in Kerala. This has no basis whatsoever. The state
police has been instructed to sternly deal with even isloated
incidents targeting Tamil people," Chandy said.
Expressing concern over reports of violence against
Keralites and their institutions in some parts of Tamil Nadu,
Chandy wanted Karunanidhi to make use of his good offices to
stop such incidents as the top leader of a responsible
political party.
Recurrence of tremors in the area where the dam was located
had heightened fears of the people in downstream areas and
Kerala's stand was that a new dam was the only lasting
solution to the issue, Chandy said. At the same, Kerala was
firm in its commitment to continue to provide water at the
same level to Tamil Nadu even after construction of a new dam,
he said.
"I am sure a senior leader like you will make use of your
statesmanship and experience in the issue and ensure that the
age-old ties between the two states are not ruptured under any
circumstances," Chandy added.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 30, 2011, 21:55