Chennai: Often under attack for his alleged inability to end the armed conflict in 2009 between Sri Lankan forces and rebel LTTE, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Wednesday said that the ambit of state governments (he was Chief Minister then) in this connection was limited.
Responding to criticism in an opinion piece in a section of media, Karunanidhi also denied that Finance Minister P Chidambaram had recently asked the DMK chief to desist from using the phrase Eelam (separate nationhood) at a pro-Lankan Tamils conference here, when the two leaders met in Chennai.
"When there is a central government in a country (India) how can a state government intervene and resolve such issues. Those in the know of boundaries of political powers can realise this," he said responding to a set of questions in party organ ' Murasoli.'
Karunanidhi, chief minister in 2009 when the armed conflict peaked between government forces and LTTE, is often accused by his detractors of failing to ensure a ceasefire even as he went on an 'indefinite fast' which he wound up within hours of starting it following Centre's announcement of ceasing of hostilities in the island nation.
Karunanidhi however blamed his arch rival and chief minister Jayalalithaa when he recalled that she had passed a resolution in the state assembly demanding arrest and extradition of slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran.
"She had also said that casualty was common in a war," he said.
As regards the TESO conference, he said Chidambaram only paid the usual visit to him everytime he made while in Chennai and described as "a lie" reports that the Finance Minister had advised him against resolving for a separate Eelam.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, August 22, 2012, 20:25