Supporting LTTE? Be ready to go to jail

CHENNAI: In an apparent warning to a pro-LTTE group, the Tamil Nadu government today said "stringent action" would be taken against those speaking in support of banned organisations and eulogising their leaders.

Speaking in support of banned organisations, using the portraits of its leaders, their flags and insignia in public places for advertisement purposes or printing, portraying, publishing or broadcasting and telecasting is an offence under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the government said in an advertisement published in newspapers today.

Violation of this will attract "stringent action," and any organisation which organises public meetings, conferences and rallies should bear this in mind, the advertisement issued by Chief Secretary K Sripathy said.

The advertisement was issued after the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which is part of the DMK-Congress alliance, held meetings here yesterday to celebrate the 48th birthday of its leader Thol Thirumavalavan.Thirumavalavan had reportedly underlined his party's commitment towards Ealam, a separate homeland for Tamils, and asserted that the slain LTTE leader V Prabhakaran would return to continue the war in Sri Lanka. .

Though Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) is a part of the DMK-led alliance, the party will not compromise its ideology on the Eelam Tamils issue, said VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan here on Monday.“Unarmed tigers of VCK from Tamil Nadu will continue their struggle for Tamil Eelam,” he said to a rousing applause of the thousands of party cadre who gathered for ‘Yelum Tamil Eelam’ conference organised on his 48th birthday which was being observed as 'Tamil Eluchi Naal' (Tamil uprising day).