Mr. M. Karunanidhi and Ms. Sonia Gandhi have a lot to answer about their alliance partner in Tamil Nadu, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (Liberation Panthers Party, or VCK) headed by Tirumavalavan, an unrefined bedfellow of the brutal Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Is this threesome a triangle, a tango or a tangle? Even a casual look at their stance on the issue of LTTE shows to what depths the Congress has sunk, for a few crumbs in the Lok Sabha. Karunanidhi, as is his wont, has maintained in recent times that the DMK and the Congress have similar secular and social justice ideologies, and that the DMK and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi share similar ideology. Does this mean this is an equilateral triangle?

Actually, this does not reveal the equation between the Congress and the VCK. It should be uneasy, at least on the Sri Lankan issue, where the VCK is embarrassingly pro-LTTE while Congress, at least in public, condemns the LTTE. Yet it is also true that Ms. Priyanka Vadra secretly visited Nalini, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, in Vellore, ostensibly to make a pact on behalf of her mother with the LTTE. It seems that the Roman Catholic Sonia Gandhi is not averse to mixing politics with forgiveness for her husband’s murderers.

Three partners – Two forums

This strange equation, and Karunanidhi’s claim of unity amongst his alliance partners, bears closer scrutiny.

Tirumavalavan and a handful of equally nondescript leaders started an organisation called “Forum for the Protection of Lankan Tamils.” Not to be surpassed by an upstart like Tirumavalavan, M. Karunanidhi, champion chauvinist of world-wide Tamils, announced his own Forum to protect the Tamils of Sri Lanka. However, the Tamil Nadu Congress is not Tamil enough (or independent enough) to start a similar forum; neither did it announce its subscription to any of the Forums started by its allies in the State.

India leading Lankan Genocide

“It is India that is fighting the Sri Lankan Tamils. It is India that is in the forefront of the genocide of the Tamils” – Tirumavalavan.

It this startling view shared by the Congress and the DMK? A joint statement from both parties would have cleared the air for voters to decide. So far there is silence.

CIA, not LTTE, did it!

“Rajiv Gandhi was not assassinated by the LTTE, he was murdered by the CIA” –Tirumavalavan.

Does Congress believe and endorse this claim? Is this the reason for Sonia Gandhi trying to pardon her husband’s murderers who are languishing in jails for no fault of theirs (sic)? Is this the reasons for Priyanka’s secret visit to Vellore to meet Nalini to perhaps make a secret pact on behalf of her mother, as is being suggested in various quarters?

It is interesting that till this day, the location of their meeting, admitted on both sides, remains secret; the Vellore Jail authorities have denied that the meeting took place on the jail premises, and there has been a studied silence thereafter.

Neither forgive nor forget

Congress kept chanting: “We will neither forgive nor forget the murder of Rajiv Gandhi.”

Does this mean that Congressmen do not endorse their ally, Tirumavalavan’s assertion that it was not LTTE, but the CIA, which was behind Rajiv’s gruesome assassination?  In that case, where does this leave the Jain Commission Report and its needles of suspicion that point awkwardly at unwanted times?

Lay down arms and surrender - Pranab

Mr. Pranab Mukherjee stated: “the LTTE should lay down its arms and surrender.” Does Tirumavalavan endorse his views?

On the contrary, Tirumavalavan said: “asking the LTTE to surrendering arms amounts to insulting the entire Tamil race.” So Congress has insulted the Tamils!

And what is Karunanidhi’s stand? Does he support the Congress or the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi?

Cheers. Vote for DML led congress TirumaAlliance…

Congressmen routinely demanded the arrest of Tirumavalavan. DMK maintained a discrete silence. The VCK keeps growling. What alliance partners!

“The Indian Government should be put in the dock and the Tamils should punish it” – said the oracle Tirumavalavan. What an alliance partner!

We won’t tolerate burning of Sonia’s pictures - Karunanidhi

Does Congress approve of the burning of the photos of its leaders, Rajiv and Sonia, by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi just before the countdown to this election? Why did the Tamil Nadu Congress chief scream that the party condemns this act and yet continue to have VCK in the alliance basket?

Mr. Karunanidhi thundered that he would not tolerate the burning of Sonia’s pictures. It now transpires that he was referring to the pro-LTTE advocates (affiliated to VCK) who went on a Sonia photo-burning spree recently in the Madras High Court premises, and NOT the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party officials who burnt every Sonia picture in the city except the one the Governor has installed at Raj Bhavan.

Confused? Welcome to Tamil Nadu.

There is neither Anbu (love) nor Azhagu (beauty) in this statement

“The DMK is neither Pro nor Anti-LTTE.” This ‘brilliant’ statement was released by DMK’s naam-ke-vaaste Number 2, Anbazhagan. Does Congress believe this to be the DMK’s official stand on the LTTE? Where does this leave Tirumavalavan?

Why didn’t Congress and the DMK participate in the VCK rally in support of separate Tamil Eelam? It is the stated policy of the Government of India that New Delhi is opposed to a separate Tamil Eelam. Yet it is the UPA Tamil allies who daily chant Tamil Eelam. Mr. Karunanidhi would by now have promised to end his life a million times in his public speeches for this cause; sadly for the Tamils of Tamil Nadu, he is known not to act on his words.

Human chain with missing links

Why didn’t Congress rally behind the DMK’s human chain programme in support of Lankan Tamils (read LTTE), that brought Chennai traffic to a halt for more than 6 hours?

When Tirumavalavan announced his fast unto death and fasted for two days, he received no support from either of his alliance partners. What’s going on?

Handover Prabhakaran to India – Moily

Did Mr. Veerappa Moily obtain prior sanction from Tirumavalavan and Karunanidhi before stating that, “The Sri Lankan Government should handover Prabhakaran to India”?

“Moily’s wishes will not be granted” - was Tirumavalavan’s repartee to the demand. Great unanimity!

Does Congress share Tirumavalavan’s view: “Sonia is taking revenge on the LTTE”?

He even ridiculed Congress – “Have the Congressmen stopped eating and sleeping after their leader Rajiv was murdered. Are they not continuing to eat and sleep?”

Thank you Congress - We will destroy you

Mr. Karunanidhi recently thanked the Centre for the steps it has taken on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue. The VCK in turn shrieked: “We will destroy the Congress.” It went on a rampage at the Congress headquarters in Chennai, smashing windows, furniture and a few Congressmen assembled there - because of economic recession!

O what a tangled web we weave….

The author is a social activist; he lives in Chennai