CPI(M)'s posers on Veerappan issue

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 24. The CPI(M) today came up with several posers to the DMK Government on the just ended Veerappan-triggered hostage crisis, even while charging the ruling party with turning complacent to the danger posed by `secessionist forces' in Tamil Nadu.

Even after a week of the release of the Kannada actor, Mr. Rajkumar by the forest brigand Veerappan, there were ```several untied knots'' in the entire episode, which the DMK Government was duty-bound to remove, the State CPI(M) Secretary, Mr. N. Sankariah, asserted.

Addressing the media here, Mr. Sankariah asked, after the emissaries team have been expanded from the `Nakkeeran' Editor, Mr. R. R. Gopal, to include the controversial pro-LTTE Tamil leader, Mr. P. Nedumaran and two human rights activists, who had `authorised' certain other `LTTE friends and sympathisers' including Dr. Bhanu and `Kolathur' Mani, to join the mediators last time, when Mr.Rajkumar's release was clinched.

Stating that the Special Task Force (STF) operations should aim at capturing Veerappan alive and bringing him to book for his crimes, besides ``exposing the vested interests'' behind his sandalwood smuggling and other activities, Mr. Sankariah said it was precisely because there were several unanswered questions in the whole episode, the CPI(M) demanded a `White Paper' on it.

Expressing serious concern over divisive forces like TNLA and TNRT calling the shots for Veerappan now, as widely believed, Mr. Sankariah said the Marxists would continue to oppose forces like Mr. Nedumaran, as acknowledging the unique ethnic/cultural character of any community did not mean separate nation for each.

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Section  : Southern States
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