NDA partner visualises Republic for Tamils

NEW DELHI, JULY 31: After the National Conference, another National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner is making noises over autonomy. Patt...

NEW DELHI, JULY 31: After the National Conference, another National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner is making noises over autonomy. Pattali Makkal Katchi has in fact gone a step ahead and is talking about a Republic for Tamils.

The PMK, which has two ministers in the Vajpayee Government, feels that Indian nationalism was about Brahmin autocracy and Hindi imperialism. “Therefore, we should throw out Indian nationalism and the Tamil nationalism is the only answer.” A secret paper circulated among the hard-core group of orators that the PMK is training said: “India should be declared as a Federation of Independent Sovereign Republics of National Races. The right to secede through self-determination from such a federation should be given legally to such national races. India being called as Bharat and the National Racial Republics being called as states should be abolished”.

The Orators Training Camp organised in Dharampuri on June 14 and 15 was attended by PMK president Dr Ramdoss. Proceedings of the two-day camp were kept a closely-guarded secret.

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A secret paper circulated in the camp said: “There is no language as India; no race as Indian; hence there is no country as India. Yet there is talk of Indian nationalism… The big capitalists who became affluent under the British regime, wanted an all-India market.”

“As there exists no Indian nationalism, there is also no Dravidian nationalism. This concept has no roots… The Tamils in Tamil Nadu constitute Tamil nationalism. This is within the parameters of the definition of a country — one language, geographical contours, economically viable and homogeneous culture and civilisation,” said the concept paper for the cadre and orators.

The paper, however, said the federal government will have authority to administer over army, currency, communications and foreign affairs. `All the other powers should vest with the National Racial Republics (NRR), Just like the federal constitution, the NRRs should also have their constitutions.

The Rajya Sabha should be converted into an Assembly of NRRs and the Lok Sabha and Assemblies of NRRs should have equal powers. The Tamil Nadu high court should be the final arbitrator in the matters of adjudicating the Tamil NRR Constitution, criminal justice, labour disputes and citizenship rights. The federal government will not have the power to levy taxes and it will be the Tamil NRR which will pay tax to the federal government, the paper suggested.

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