Rameshwaram:
As Tamil Nadu goes to the polls in a single phase on Wednesday, the one issue that has been on top of every party's agenda is the war in Sri Lanka.
From a separate land to equal rights, promises from the politicians in India for the Tamils in Sri Lanka have been numerous. But what does this mean for those who flee their country?
The tiny pockets of islands, which are about five km from mainland India into the sea towards Sri Lanka, are the places where most of the Sri Lankan Tamils who fear for their life and flee their country, land. The island nation is barely about 15 km from here.
For these refugees from Sri Lanka who came to Tamil Nadu two months ago, memories of their homeland are still fresh.
One of them, Radha ,lost her husband in the conflict and says she is living for the sake of her fiver-year-old daughter Devi.
"We don't feel too happy to leave our home and live in another country. But, if I had stayed there, my child would have faced the same fate as my husband," she said.
Another refugee, Dushyant Raj, left his home in Mannar with his wife and two girls. After hiding for three days in the forest areas, his family was one of the very few who made it to India.
"The real truth is, even a young Tamilian cannot live there peacefully. We lived in fear that the army would kill our kids. I don't know why they want to erase the whole Tamil race," Dusjhyant said.
For the fisherfolk in Rameswaram in Southern Tamil Nadu, it's a daily ordeal -- surviving the naval forces of both the countries. And while they empathise with their Tamil brothers across the border, all they care about is their daily meal.
"There used to be days when we take our boats, they bring theirs. We get together in some tiny island and share food, smoke beedis. That was 20 years back," said Soosai, one of the fishermen.
Anger among these fishermen is palpable. For them, the Indian politician's attempt to stir the Tamil passion is plain doublespeak. All they pray for is calmer days to return.