It's difficult to talk about Tamil sentiments. From 1983 to 1987, the LTTE had vast sympathy in Tamil Nadu. That is completely gone. It started ebbing during the Indian Peace Keeping Force time. It had a decisive break when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. I believe the LTTE, from its own perspective, from its own strategic view, should have never killed Rajiv Gandhi. It was the biggest mistake they committed.
Today, the LTTE is dubbed a terrorist organisation in some 30 countries and that is huge negative point for it. That was a turning point of Tamil sympathy. At the end of the day Tamils of India also consider themselves as proud Indians. There is a lot of concern for the sufferings going of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka but to what extend this concern extends to supporting the LTTE is a big question mark.
There are people who are genuinely concerned and there are people who know it's an emotive issue so let us exploit it.
The Indian government claims it has a 'hands off' approach to Sri Lanka. It is a wrong claim. You cannot have a 'hands off' approach when you are supplying one party certain equipment which you never gave in the past. So, the hand off approach claim is a convenient excuse to lean towards the Mahindra Rajapakse regime.
The DMK government is now protesting it. But has it happened without their knowledge? Why did they not protest then? Even those who are not supporting LTTE but support the Tamil cause feel, its bad enough that you are not supporting the cause but worst you are actually supporting the other party. The Tamil anger is because of this approach.
But what is happening in Tamil Nadu is remarkable. Even after all that has happened, a group which is 'outlawed' in the country is able to generate so much sympathy in one part of country and is able to involve the central government, if not directly at least indirectly, for its cause. I think this is resilience of the highest order.
Image: Sri Lanka Special Task Force soldiers conduct a search operation on suspected vehicles and people entering the capital Colombo.
Photograph: Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFP/Getty Images
Also read: The urgent political message from Chennai
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