Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Monday went on an indefinite fast at the Anna Square on the Marina here to press the Sri Lankan government to announce a ceasefire, but gave it up six-and-a-half hours later after Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram telephonically conveyed to him that Colombo had announced an end to combat operations with heavy weapons.
The 85-year-old Mr. Karunanidhi, who was operated upon for a back problem in February, declared soon after he began his fast at 6.05 a.m. that he was willing to sacrifice himself for the cause. “On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, I am undertaking this fast to protect the Tamils in Sri Lanka,” he said.
On Sunday night, Mr. Karunanidhi told The Hindu that he would “wait for a night and see.” “There was hope till yesterday [Sunday] that the Sri Lankan government will announce a ceasefire. Since that situation has changed and since the Sri Lankan government said it would not agree to a ceasefire even after the LTTE announced a ceasefire … I am sacrificing myself,” he said.
Mr. Karunanidhi said he did not take the decision in haste: he was up all night mulling over what needed to be done and came to the conclusion that “he should give up his life to the Sri Lankan government just as hundreds of Sri Lankan Tamils have.” He did not inform anyone of his intentions though: he told his driver to take him to the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, at 5.55 a.m. Just as the convoy reached Cathedral Road, he told the driver to go to the memorial of his mentor, C.N. Annadurai.
In about an hour, a long line of friends, well-wishers, religious leaders, officials, leaders of alliance parties and film personalities waited to greet him and persuade him to call off the fast. Among those who spoke to him over telephone urging him to give up the fast were Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr. Chidambaram. He refused, saying: “I will not give up until some concrete step is taken in Sri Lanka.”
After spending about two hours in the wheel-chair in which he was brought to Anna Square, Mr. Karunanidhi shifted to a cot that was brought to the venue. He continued to receive people and take telephone calls from leaders. A team of doctors led by S.S.K. Marthandam, S. Thanikachalam and his personal physician, Gopal, checked his pulse and blood pressure at intervals.
As news of the fast spread, partymen and leaders suspended their election campaigns and rushed to Anna Square. Supporters converged on the venue and raised slogans hailing Mr. Karunanidhi and urging him to give up his fast.
Union Minister and senior DMK leader T.R. Baalu sent identical telegrams, on behalf of his party’s Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, to the President, the Prime Minister, the Congress president and the Minister for External Affairs appealing to them “to put heavy pressure on the Sri Lankan President to immediately put an end to the on-going hostilities and for a permanent ceasefire.”
In another telegram to the Sri Lankan President, the MPs appealed to him to “announce a permanent ceasefire and save hundreds of thousands of innocent Tamils caught in the war zone.” Later, he sent separate messages to the leaders thanking them for their efforts. Congress leaders D. Sudarsanam, S. Peter Alphonse and D. Yasodha also sent a telegram requesting the Prime Minister to intervene.
At 12.20 p.m., Mr. Chidambaram informed Mr. Karunanidhi of Colombo’s decision to halt combat operations. “I stand to protect suffering Tamils everywhere. What is the need for a life that cannot help them in their hour of need,” he asked and added that he was satisfied with the conversation he had with the Home Minister.