Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday called for unity among the global Tamil diaspora and urged them to overlook all the divisions among them. He said the Tamil diaspora should consider the Tamil Nadu government as their own government.

Stalin was addressing the Tamil diaspora during the World Tamil Diaspora Day celebrations organised by the Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils and Rehabilitation Department on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister invited the diaspora to visit Tamil Nadu with their children and show them the rich Tamil cultural heritage that has been in existence for the past 3,000 years.

"Many of you may not have voting right in Tamil Nadu, but you have the right to call this government your own government. This was why I had made several announcements in September last year for the welfare of the Tamil diaspora," the Chief Minister said in his address.

Stalin called upon the diaspora not to abandon Tamil Nadu and to be rooted in Tamil culture and legacy.

He also called upon the diaspora not to have divisions with other Tamil people and to live united as brothers and sisters in foreign countries and to make maximum use of the situation prevailing in those countries for academic and industrial growth.

Citing the rich heritage of Keeladi and Adichannalur, Stalin said that these are glowing examples of the existence of a rich Tamil culture even 3,000 years ago. He said that people from Tamil Nadu are spread in several countries across the globe.

He said the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi, wanted to set up a welfare board for non-resident Tamils as early as in March 2011, but the government that had succeeded the Karunanidhi government did not pursue the issue further.

Stalin said that within five months of coming to power, he had announced the setting up of the board in the state Assembly.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also said that the state government is implementing schemes worth Rs 317 crore for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils who came to Tamil Nadu.