Only Congress genuinely interested in Tamils' welfare: Narayanasamy

Union Minister V Narayanasamy today said that only the Congress party is "genuinely" interested in ensuring welfare of the Tamils in Sri Lanka while other political parties in Tamil Nadu were shedding "crocodile tears" on the issue.

"It is indeed shocking that the political parties who have not done anything for welfare of the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees staying in Tamil Nadu are feigning to be their champions and making criticisms against Congress and the party-led UPA government at the Centre on the Tamils issue," he said.

Both ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and former Congress ally DMK have frequently expressed concern over attacks on fishermen from the state, allegedly by Lankan Navy, besides flaying Centre for failing to put pressure on Colombo on the issue.

"Only the Congress party is sincerely and genuinely interested in ensuring welfare of the Tamils in Sri Lanka while other political parties in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are doing only lip service and shed crocodile tears merely for their political survival," Narayanasamy said.

Addressing a Congress Workers Meeting on the occasion of the 22nd death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi here, Narayanasamy referred to the UPA government's initiatives towards rehabilitation of Tamils in Lanka, besides approval of railway and power projects in the island republic.

Narayansamy also recalled the concern the late Rajiv Gandhi had shown for the Sri Lankan Tamils and described as historic measure his step to deploy the Indian Peace Keeping Force for their protection.

He welcomed the Tamil Nadu government's ban on a public meeting at Cuddalore, organised by a pro-Tamil Eelam outfit, 'Naam Tamilar', in which JKLF leader Yasin Malik was to participate, on Saturday last.

"The Tamil Nadu government intervened in time and banned the meeting in the larger interest of law and order," he said. (PTI)