News Tamil Nadu

NTK Member & LTTE Sympathizer Idumbavanam Karthik Calls Indus Water Treaty Suspension ‘Inhumane’; Netizens Remind Him Of LTTE’s Water Blockade In Sri Lanka

April 25, 2025
The Commune

Following the rant from Dravidianists and Periyarists, the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), a Tamil nationalist party, has now stirred controversy by expressing sympathy for Pakistan in the wake of the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 25 Hindu tourists. In response to the attack carried out by Pakistan-backed militants—India has suspended the 64-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), marking a significant diplomatic shift.

Amid this tense backdrop, NTK functionary Idumbavanam Karthik, whose residence and office were previously raided by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with an LTTE-linked arms case, took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account to criticize India’s decision. Quoting the Geneva Convention of 1949, he wrote, “Blocking the flow of water, even if it is a warring enemy country, is a war crime that starves the people of that country!”

Karthik’s remarks sparked widespread backlash, especially given the brutality of the recent attack, where Hindu tourists were reportedly targeted, forced to recite Islamic declarations, and some even subjected to religious identification methods before being executed. The public outrage has been further inflamed by selective outrage and appeasement, with left-leaning propagandists and certain political voices avoiding condemnation of the Pakistani-backed terrorists while shifting focus toward defending India’s Muslim population for political gain.

Prime Minister Modi responded strongly to the incident, condemning both the terror attack and Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism. However, the new sympathy from NTK leaders for Pakistan—a nation repeatedly warned about its terror affiliations—has only added fuel to an already volatile situation.

In response to NTK member and LTTE sympathizer Idumbavanam Karthik’s criticism of India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan—where he called it “inhumane” and a violation of humanitarian norms—netizens were quick to call out the hypocrisy.

They reminded him of the 2006 Mavil Aaru incident in Sri Lanka, where the LTTE, as a pressure tactic, shut the sluice gates of a crucial dam on July 20, cutting off water to nearly 15,000 predominantly Sinhala families cultivating over 30,000 acres of farmland. This act of depriving civilians of water directly contradicts the moral high ground Karthik attempted to claim.

According to a detailed Hindustan Times report from that time, the Mavil Aaru water dispute escalated into a full-scale military confrontation between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE. While both parties presented the issue as a humanitarian dispute over water, the reality was deeply rooted in military and political ambitions, especially in the strategically vital Eastern Province.

For the LTTE, the move was part of a broader strategy to regain influence in the East following the defection of senior commander Col. Karuna in 2004. Gaining local support by securing resources for Tamil communities while denying them to Sinhala settlers—seen by many Tamils as state-sponsored colonizers—served both symbolic and strategic purposes.

The region around Mavil Aaru, particularly in Trincomalee district, holds significant emotional and strategic value for both sides. While the LTTE views the East as an essential part of the Tamil homeland, the Sri Lankan state has long sought to maintain control over it due to its ethnic diversity, agricultural wealth, and access to the Trincomalee harbor—one of the world’s best natural ports.

The LTTE’s decision to block water flow was met with outrage and led to military retaliation after negotiations mediated by Nordic truce monitors failed. Although the Sri Lankan government initially labeled its airstrikes as “humanitarian operations” to restore water access, many experts argued that broader strategic motives were at play—namely, weakening the LTTE’s operational capacity and leadership in the East.

The LTTE had reportedly fortified its positions and was using water control as leverage while the government launched air and ground operations to disrupt reinforcements and eliminate key commanders. Strategic areas such as Mullaitivu, Batticaloa, and Iranamadu were also targeted to disable the LTTE’s nascent air capabilities and sever its supply and communication lines.

Ultimately, netizens found it ironic that Karthik would cite humanitarian law in defense of Pakistan—a country accused of sponsoring terrorism—while appearing to ignore the LTTE’s history of weaponizing water access against civilians. The Mavil Aaru blockade remains a stark example of how humanitarian needs were manipulated for military gain, undercutting Karthik’s moral argument.

Below are some netizens criticism:

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