Amid ongoing political suspense over government formation in Tamil Nadu, images of former LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran have once again sparked political discussion in the state. The issue resurfaced after pictures of Prabhakaran were reportedly seen at the office of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which won two seats in the recent Assembly elections and is being viewed as a key player in the government formation process. Earlier this year, MDMK leader Vaiko had also used Prabhakaran’s image during the launch of the party’s election roadshow, prompting the Congress to distance itself from the event over ideological differences. LTTE and Tamil Nadu politics The issue of Prabhakaran and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has long remained sensitive in Tamil Nadu politics due to support among sections of the population for Sri Lankan Tamils and the politics surrounding Tamil identity. Although the LTTE remains a banned organisation in India following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, some regional political groups in Tamil Nadu have continued to portray Prabhakaran as a symbol of the struggle for Sri Lankan Tamil rights. What was the LTTE? The LTTE, or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, was a Sri Lankan Tamil militant organisation that sought to establish an independent Tamil state called “Tamil Eelam” in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. The group gained strength during the 1970s and 1980s and was involved in armed conflict with the Sri Lankan government. Following the anti-Tamil riots of 1983, known as “Black July,” the civil war in Sri Lanka intensified. Attempts at peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil militant groups in 1985 failed, leading to prolonged conflict. Rajiv Gandhi assassination India initially supported efforts to resolve the Sri Lankan conflict and signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord in 1987, after which the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was deployed in Sri Lanka. However, relations between the IPKF and LTTE later deteriorated, leading to armed clashes. The LTTE subsequently turned hostile towards India. On May 21, 1991, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated during an election rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, by an LTTE suicide bomber identified as Dhanu. The blast killed Rajiv Gandhi and several others. Following investigations that established LTTE involvement, the organisation was banned in India. Death of Prabhakaran According to the Sri Lankan government, LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed on May 17, 2009, during the final phase of the Sri Lankan civil war in a military operation. His death was later confirmed by LTTE representatives, and Sri Lankan authorities stated that DNA tests had established his identity.
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