Sonia Gandhi promises to push Lanka for rights of Tamils

Sonia Gandhi expressed concern over the welfare of Tamils in Sri Lanka and said the UPA government has taken up all such issues with Colombo.

Addressing a rally in Chennai along with DMK chief M Karunanidhi, she said: “We are pressurising the Sri Lankan government to ensure the rights of Tamils. The government of India has given money and materials for the relief and rehabilitation of the Tamils in the island nation,” she said.

Sonia Gandhi and Karunanidhi shared the dais in Chennai on Tuesday for the first time ever since the spectrum scam, courtesy DMK leader A Raja, hit the UPA government. The Congress president and the DMK patriarch decided to come together keeping in mind the assembly polls were round the corner.

Sonia pitched for Karunanidhi asking the electorate to come out and vote for DMK. “The DMK government under the leadership of Karunanidhi has done a good job over the last five years and I request you to give him another five years to take the state further forward,” Sonia said.

The Congress president paid glowing tributes to Karunanidhi for making Tamil Nadu one of the few front-line states in the country. “Chennai has become a fast-growing industrial hub while Tamil Nadu ranks among the best states in education and health care. The state has extended the mid-day meal scheme to cover all school students. Farmers are given free power in Tamil Nadu,” she said.

Sonia did not waste an opportunity to highlight the Manmohan Singh government’s contribution to the state’s development. “The UPA government has extended all help to the Tamil Nadu government during the last five years. The state’s annual plan outlay which was Rs9,675 crore in 2006 has been increased to Rs17,500 crores in 2010-11,” she said.

Similar views on inclusive growth and concern for the poor and minorities brought together Congress and DMK, Sonia said. “We will continue this alliance for speedier inclusive growth and social justice,” she said.

Though Karunanidhi and other speakers, including alliance partners PMK leader A Ramdas and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, chose to attack AIADMK leader Jayalalityhaa in their rallies, Sonia did not refer to Jayalalithaa even once.