New Delhi, May 30 -- Thirty-five years ago, on 21 May 1991, a historic tragedy occurred when former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi-one of the most influential leaders of his time-was assassinated in Tamil Nadu. In the aftermath, Dharmalingam Siddharthan, who later became the leader of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), a Tamil militant movement in Sri Lanka that eventually turned towards democracy, made a notable statement.

He is now one of the senior leader of the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA). His words were recorded by Indian journalist Narayanaswamy inThe Hindu on the 30th anniversary of Gandhi's assassination. Siddharthan said: "I can say without hesitation that Ezharai Sani gripped Prabhaka...