Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu slammed a comment by an MP from ally DMK, Thamizhachi Thangapandian, on the late Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Velupillai Prabhakaran the place she mentioned she wish to situation an apology to him.
At an interview to a regional channel, the South Chennai MP was requested which historic character she wish to dine with. She replied that it might be the late Tamil Tiger chief.
When requested what she would do to him, the DMK MP mentioned that she would apologise to him. “I might apologise, I might ask his pardon for Mullivaikal tragedy,” replied Thamizhachi Thangapandian.
The Mullivaikkal massacre refers to the mass killing of tens of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils in 2009 during the country’s civil war.
Tamil Nadu Congress chief Mohan Kumaramangalam quoted a tweet of Thangapandian’s interview on X and wrote, “Eulogising somebody who in probably the most dastardly trend killed a Prime Minister of our nation together with 14 fellow Tamilians is smart to you?”
Prabhakaran was the prime accused in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991. The charges against him were dropped the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a report stating that he was dead and the case was closed.
Mohan Kumaramangalam also quoted a UN Panel report on the Mullivaikkal massacre which said the LTTE “prevented civilians from leaving the realm, guaranteeing their continued presence as a human buffer”.
Addressing the DMK MP, the Congress leader wrote, “I’m shocked to listen to a member of the Indian parliament say what you may have.”
Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram also slammed Thangapandian and said, “This Prabakaran Veerappan Tamil Nationalism is as fringe as Hindutva Nationalism.” He added, “Eulogising Prabakaran doesn’t sit nicely with anybody within the Congress. To gloss over the dastardly assassination of Rajiv Gandhi together with 17 Tamils will not be acceptable.”
The DMK MP’s interview had come on Sunday, the birth anniversary of Velupillai Prabhakaran.
