Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 8 (ANI): Founder of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Vaiko has said that his party will strive to get Katchatheevu back from Sri Lanka.
The veteran leader of MDMK, which is part of the Opposition INDIA bloc, told reporters on Sunday at Tiruchirapalli, said that he wants the island to be returned to Tamil Nadu.
"They claim that the entire country is in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In fact, it is the INDIA alliance that has a chance of winning from Kanyakumari to the Himalayas. In the critical situation of that day, Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka. At that time DMK protested against it. We will not give even one inch of Indian soil to Sri Lanka. To recover the island through the court, efforts will be made by Chief Minister MK Stalin," he said.
The Katchatheevu issue recently came to the fore again after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of handing over the island to Sri Lanka in 1974. He slammed the DMK and the Congress over the island row, saying the ruling alliance parties of Tamil Nadu have done nothing to safeguard the state's interests.
Notably, the retrieval of Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka was among the promises the MDMK has included in its manifesto titled, 'Sloganeering for 24 Rights' which was released here on Saturday.
Other promises by the party included--bringing constitutional amendments granting more autonomy to states and clipping governors' powers, and scrapping the national education policy (NEP).
The manifesto read out by party leader Vaiko vows abrogation of Article 361 granting powers to governors, introducing Thirukkural across the country and removal of toll plazas. It also promised repeal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and a reduction in fuel prices. It further pitched for shutting down the Kudankulam plant, scrapping the Chennai-Salem expressway project and the need for a caste census.
Tamil Nadu will poll for the Lower House in a single phase, on April 19, in the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections.
The DMK, which remains a preeminent force in the state, is expected to profit from the split in the principal opposition player in the state--the AIADMK. In 2019, the DMK-led secular alliance swept the Lok Sabha polls in the state, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state.
The DMK, which is contesting 22 seats, leads an eight-party alliance that includes the Congress, which is contesting 9 seats; the CPI(M) and the CPI are contesting 2 seats each; the Indian Muslim League, which has fielded a lone candidate; the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which is contesting 2 seats, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which has fielded a lone candidate; and the Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), whose candidate will contest on the DMK symbol.
The AIADMK, which is leading an alliance of four parties in the Lok Sabha, will contest 34 seats while its partners Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam will contest 5, the Puthiya Tamilagam and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) one each. However, the latter two parties will contest the polls on the AIADMK symbol.
The BJP, which is contesting 23 seats, will go into the polls with nine other partners; including the Pattali Makkal Katchi on 10 seats), the Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) on 3 seats, former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK leader O Pannerselvam, who is contesting as an Independent; Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMU), headed by TTV Dhinakaran, on 2 seats, and the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi, Puthiya Needhi Katchi and Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam on one seat each.
However, the latter three parties are contesting on the BJP's 'lotus' symbol. (ANI)
