Click to play videoChennai: For the first time in 14 years a pro-LTTE group of Tamil MPs met an Indian Prime Minister in Delhi in a meeting facilitated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi.
Controversial issues such as the LTTE's hand in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination were carefully avoided but it left the Tamil leaders optimistic.
For the group of Sri Lankan Tamil MPs, the meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was a significant breakthrough.
It was an Indian Prime Minister's first meeting with a pro-LTTE group and the MPs of the Tamil National Alliance were ready with a familiar pitch.
Tamil National Alliance leader R Sambandham said, "The only country which can really play important role to solve the problem in Lanka is India. PM has reiterated India's commitment to the need for political solution that will give the Tamil people political space in the country.”
The Prime Minister sympathised with their demand for political space in Sri Lanka – also the plight of Tamil refugees, but left it to his External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to spell out the rest, which he did from Chennai.
Mukherjee said, "We wish them all success in finding a solution. But as far as we are concerned there is no intention to directly intervene ion this matter."
India clearly determined despite pressure from southern allies not to get drawn deeper into the Sri Lankan conflict. Even so the fact that 14 years after the LTTE was banned.
India is now ready to talk to a group affiliated to it is significant.
(With inputs from Veeraraghav)
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