————S. A. Hemanth———-
Bengaluru, February 14: In August 2012, a Hindi movie titled ‘Ek tha tiger’ was released. In December 2017, there was a Hindi movie named “Tiger Zinda Hai.” The word Tiger in these two movies has nothing to do with LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, who was known as the Leader of the Tamil Tigers.
However, the statement made by Pazha Nedumaran, Tamil Nationalist leader that LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran “is still alive living with his close relatives and will emerge out of his hideout at an appropriate time” has caused sensation, may not be so much in Tamil Nadu but in the Tamil diaspora.
Nedumaran, who had a live contacts with LTTE supremo, however, did not provide any evidence to prove his point. But the audacity with which he announced in a press conference at Thanjavur has raised a number of questions.
The world believed what the Sri Lankan government headed by Mahinda Rajapakshe told in May 2018 – that “LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed in an encounter with the Sri Lankan Army on 18th May 2009 and his body was found at Nandikal Kadal Lagoon”
However, Nedumaran rejects this theory and maintains that “the Sri Lankan government was telling a white lie” after it found out to their shock that “thalaivar” (Leader) managed to escape dramatically in the last minute just before the Sri Lankan army attacked his hideout.
Nedumaran further says that Prabhakaran is still mobilizing public opinion – Tamils – and also funds to take up the struggle for the cause of Tamil population against Sri Lankan army.
This is easier said than done. Most of the top LTTE leaders died in encounter at different point in time. This includes Sathashivan Krishna Kumar alias Kittu, Pottu Amman, Chief of the LTTE Intelligence wing. LTTE idealogue Anton Balasingham died due to kidney failure. Only Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan alias Colonel Karuna is still alive but he broke away from LTTE and formed his own outfit.
In fact, this Col Karuna became an informer of the Sri Lankan government and gave information about all the hideouts and strategy of the LTTE to the Sri Lankan army, that proved fatal to the LTTE.
Nedumaran has a Karnataka connection. When Kannada cine actor Dr Raj Kumar had been kidnapped by forest brigand Veerappan, both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments depended on Nedumaran who negotiated with the brigand and got Dr Raj Kumar released.
The world will take Nedumaran’s statement that LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran is still alive with a pinch of salt but the innocent and gullible Tamil population will keep their hope’s afloat.
At the end of the day, what is true and what prevails is “Ek Tha Tiger” (there used to be a tiger) and not “Tiger Zinda Hai” (tiger is alive). In fact, somebody should make a movie “Tiger is no more”. That will be more appropriate.
EOM
