DMK MP gets flak from ally Cong for ‘eulogy’ to ‘honorable national leader Prabhakaran’

DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian’s remarks on the late Velupillai Prabhakaran, the founder-leader of the Sri Lankan Tamil separatist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have not gone down well with ally Congress in Tamil Nadu. In an interview to The Federal, a news portal based out of Tamil Nadu, last week, the writer-politician was asked which historical figure she wanted to dine with. She replied, “Methagu Thesiya Thalaivar Prabhakaran (honorable national leader Prabhakaran)”. To a follow-up question on what she would ask the person, Thamizhachi said, “I would apologise. I would ask his pardon for the Mullivaikal tragedy (the killing of thousands of Tamils in the final months of the Sri Lankan civil war).” Reacting to the interview, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said “eulogising Prabakaran doesn’t sit well with anyone in the Indian National Congress”.