Karuna spoils Sri Lankan ploy

CHENNAI: A tactical retreat from a proposed joint patrolling of the International Marine Boundary Line (IMBL) by the Sri Lankan and the Indian Navy came as a major blow for Tamil Nadu fishermen.

The move, mooted to end the plight of Indian fishermen in the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy, fell flat after Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi backtracked from his idea of the joint operation. He had organised a protest rally last Monday highlighting the need for such an operation.

According to Karunanidhi, the joint operation would mean involving India in Sri Lanka’s fight against the LTTE. And this he feels would be foolish, and thus the change of idea.

Though the joint patrolling might sound a good proposition, there are more cons than pros, he said. “It would be like tying a rat and a frog together. The frog would try to drag and drown the rat, while the rat would try to run inland and kill the frog,” he added.

The decision came after state Intelligence officers informed Karunanidhi of the island nation's long-hatched ploy to draw India in its fight against the LTTE, said sources. “In the event of joint patrolling, Sri Lanka is sure that the Indian Navy would come face-to-face with Sea Tigers (the LTTE’s naval wing). A direct confrontation between the Indian forces and the LTTE is just what Sri Lanka wants. Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) realised this and hence the volte face,” a DMK functionary said.

According to Intelligence sources, the LTTE boats sometimes enter the Indian waters while moving between the northern and eastern landing points in Sri Lanka. But the LTTE has instructed its Sea Tigers not to confront the Indian authorities. This is why they did not attempt to retaliate or blow themselves up when the Indian Coast Guard seized an LTTE boat laden with explosives on February 14, sources said. Sri Lanka is, however, not happy with the unofficial truce, they added.

Karunanidhi will intimate PM Manmohan Singh of his concerns and ask him to convey the same to Sri Lanka.