11 April 2010 01:46 am
According to the report the Tamil party is to be launched on May 18, the first anniversary of the death of LTTE leaders including Velupillai Prabhakaran, by film director Seeman, a Tiger supporter.
Sebastian Seeman, unveiled the Naam Tamilar (We the Tamils) party’s flag, yesterday. Naam Tamilar, now functioning as a social outfit, aims to toe the hardline abandoned by other Dravidian parties over the years on issues ranging from the situation in Sri Lanka to Mullaiperiyar and seek a better deal for Tamils and Tamil Nadu.
The organisation was formed during the last days of the Lankan conflict when Tamil Nadu witnessed a string of protests.
Seeman has himself faced charges, including those under the National Security Act, and was even deported from Canada for speeches that propagated extreme views.
The proposed date of the political party’s launch is also not a coincidence. “May 18 is a black day; a day Tamils can’t forget that easily,” Seeman’s online announcement states.
A year ago that day, the Sri Lankan army had gunned down the remaining leadership of the rebels along with the last of its fighters, bringing the decades-long bloody conflict to a violent end.
Since the vanquish of the rebel forces, its once vociferous supporters, Vaiko’s MDMK, Lok Sabha MP Thirumavalavan’s VCK and a string of others became less virulent. It is this space that the new outfit is eyeing even as it expands its attention to water rows with neighbouring states.
“The DMK and AIADMK do not have the welfare of the Dravidians on their agenda. We will take it up. This is a long-term plan,” he said on Saturday.
A self-proclaimed lover of Tamil language and culture, the director even made a movie, Vazhthugal (Greetings), in which apparently the only word in non-Tamil was ‘August’ (the month) as it could not be replaced.
Naam Tamilar is a fringe outfit that has so far attracted a section of the youth dissatisfied with the response of the mainstream parties to the Lankan war. However, what it lacks in size, it makes up with controversial and hardline views and actions, the Indian Express reported.
Most recently, its few members were arrested for attacking Tamil-Malayalam actor Jayaram’s residence over his allegedly disparaging comment about Tamil women.
“We are not a secessionist or chauvinistic organisation. On the other hand, we are supporters of the integrity of the nation. We only demand fairness when it comes to issues concerning Tamils,” said Seeman.