Sonia raises Rajiv Gandhi's killing

16 April 2014 01:05 pm - 13 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Dismissing as "false propaganda" that Congress was not concerned about Tamils in Sri Lanka, Sonia Gandhi today raised the emotional issue of her husband Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, saying the former prime minister sacrificed his life "fighting" for them.

Addressing her maiden election rally in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi also attacked the Jayalalithaa Government, virtually charging it with adopting a lethargic approach to the initiative taken by the UPA on fishermen level talks to end the recurring attacks on fishermen from the state. "I am aware that some political parties accuse us that we have not done anything for Tamils in Sri Lanka. I want to ask them is there any party other than Congress which has done more for the Sri Lankan Tamils," she said.

Gandhi said her husband had "sacrificed his life fighting for the brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. I want to ask which political party has done this." Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at an election rally by an LTTE suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.
Congress is contesting all 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state on its own. The UPA Chairperson insisted that her party had been striving for welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils and outlined Congress' commitment to "solve" their problems.

All political parties in the state including DMK, which had parted ways with UPA over the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils, have been accusing Congress of doing little on the emotive issue. Gandhi urged people not to believe in such "false propaganda".On recurring attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, another issue over which Congress-led UPA Government was facing the heat for alleged "inaction", she hit out at AIADMK, saying it took "considerable time and effort" to get the concurrence of the state government for the January 2014 talks between fishermen of India and Sri Lanka.

"Our government is in the forefront of protecting our fishermen. It is only due to our efforts that fishermen of both countries (from Tamil Nadu in India and Sri Lanka) were able to meet in January this year to discuss how to find a solution," she noted. "I can tell you that it took considerable time and effort to take the concurrence of the AIADMK govt here," she said apparently claiming credit for the inititive.

Fishermen representatives of both sides had met in January in Chennai to work out a solution to the fishing dispute in Palk Strait and the next round of talks have been proposed in May in Colombo, for which the state government has given its nod. (Source: DNA)

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Comments - 13

yuri Wednesday, 16 April 2014 01:23 PM

Yeah But for Tamil he is a War Criminal ! he is responsible thousands of innocent murder by Indian Army and mass rape which Indian well known for

ravi Wednesday, 16 April 2014 01:29 PM

yes and then they said thank you for the sacrifice by killing him

Saskia Wednesday, 16 April 2014 02:05 PM

The question should be as follows:
Is there any Indian government which did more harm to Eelam Tamils than Congress led UPA?

Lokka Wednesday, 16 April 2014 02:42 PM

Pl. Sonia, leave Sri Lanka alone, having learnt a lesson from your husband's killing.

Real Tamil Wednesday, 16 April 2014 03:16 PM

Yes, all Tamils in North and East know that he died fighting for them. What a joke..... IPKF is the worst inhuman army in the world. I have seen by my naked eyes, normal Tamil civilians being assaulted and tortured by IPKF and some Tamil civilians even took refuge inside the Sri Lankan army camps to protect themselves from the cruel IPKF.

ibnuaboo Wednesday, 16 April 2014 03:30 PM

Even in Srilanka late Rajive gandhi escapped narrowly frrom an attack during his visit here. This attempt to assasination of Rajive was a sacrifice for Srilankan Tamils issue

perera Wednesday, 16 April 2014 04:47 PM

another martyr?
he never sacrificed his life.
he was butchered by a bunch of terrorists for not toeing their line probably.

Prof Wednesday, 16 April 2014 09:12 PM

Why don't the fishermen keep to their own boundaries. Why both are trying to steal fishes from each other. The only solution to solve this problem is to SL Navy & Coast Guards to have joint Patrol , only way to stop illegal poaching. Make big fines for law breakers.

mack Thursday, 17 April 2014 08:54 AM

very sorry you can't win this election via DM Android App

Thamby Thursday, 17 April 2014 09:06 AM

Sonia madam you are too late. TN has made up its mind to go with Jaya Amma, Vaiko, Ramdoss and the lot. As usual TN voters have been hoodwinked by the above and taken for a ride by Kumbakarna, the K. Nidhi. via DM iPad app

Patriot Thursday, 17 April 2014 04:56 AM

India always wants a split in Sri Lanka, then only all the investment by the foreign countries will go to them and not to Sri Lanka.

some Thursday, 17 April 2014 05:04 AM

Not only Gandhi ,thousands of people were killed by LTTE which patronaged by Gandhis'

gona Thursday, 17 April 2014 06:16 PM

Sorry he didn't sacrifice his life, but his life was sacrificed because of double dealing. What goes round comes round. In his cars retribution was fast via DM iPad app

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Sonia raises Rajiv Gandhi's killing

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