Sonia, Karunanidhi show up UPA's performance

Congress President and United Progress Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Sunday in an election rally in Chennai reiterated her government’s stand to address the Sri Lankan Tamil issue to secure equal rights and status for the Tamils, but within the framework of the 1987 Indo-Lanka accord.

Sharing the stage with DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, Mrs.

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Gandhi said the UPA government did everything possible to bring the hostilities to an end in Sri Lanka. “It is the Congress-led government’s continuous effort that the Sri Lanka announced the conclusion of combat operation,” she said and added that the UPA is doing everything possible to carry forward its humanitarian works.

Speaking about the Congress-DMK alliance in last five years she urged the people of Tamil Nadu to repeat the 2004 result for the continuance of growth and development work in the state.

DMK supremo Karunanidhi too highlighted various measures of UPA government in Centre for the development of the state, which includes the sanction of Rs.56,664 crore in highways and shipping, Rs.14,600 crore for the Chennai Metro rail project, Rs.2,427 crore for the Sethusamudram project and the declaration of Tamil as a classical language.

On national perspective, Sonia Gandhi also gave an account of the Rs.60,000 crore loan waiver package for farmers, including complete waiver of loans given to small and marginal farmers, and the success of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Refuting any speculation of DMK-Congress rift, the Congress president asserted: ‘We have worked well in the UPA alliance and will continue to do so as loyal friends.’

The Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi, on the other hand, questioned AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa’s support for the formation of independent Eelam by saying: "There was a time when the former chief minister of the state, even did not allow to talk about the issue (Eelam). But today the same leader is demanding Eelam, how pity is this?"

He also recalled the time when AIADMK government refused permission for late LTTE spokesperson, Anton Balasingham and his wife who wanted to visit Chennai and to hold peace talks.

The DMK leader, however, expressed his contentment over the concern of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi for the Tamils by saying that nobody can doubt the sincerity of Mrs Gandhi or the Prime Minister.