`Different stands of Centre, Cong on SL Tamils worrisome`

Chennai: DMK Chief M Karunanidhi-led TESO, a pro-Tamil body revived recently by the key UPA ally on Saturday said it was "worrisome" to know the different stands being taken by the Centre and the Congress on the Lankan Tamils issue and warned it may not be able to watch such attitude in silence.

"The different stands being taken by Congress and the Central government every day on the Eelam issue is worrisome...A situation is being created where such attitudes cannot be watched silently," Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation said in a statement. While External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid did not say anything concrete on the US-sponsored resolution in the UNHRC following which DMK, BJP and some other parties walked out of Lok Sabha on March 7, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who had attended the TESO meeting in New Delhi had said India would back the US resolution, it said. "However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while replying to the motion on the President`s address in Rajya Sabha did not give any assurance but only stressed for talks between Sri Lankan government and Tamil leaders (in that country)," it said. TESO also made it clear it would not compromise on its stand, vis-a-vis Sri Lankan Tamils issue. The organisation has been among others, pressing for India supporting US at UNHRC. "Therefore, to exert further pressure on the Centre, the March 12 general strike will happen at any cost," the statement sent from the DMK headquarters said while calling for all-round support. TESO was revived recently by Karunanidhi and the Congress ally backed outfit has been staging protests against the Centre on the Lankan Tamils issue, even calling for a general strike on March 12. PTI