Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa may not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi on Monday, as per reports coming in on Sunday.
As per sources, the decision has been taken in view of the fact that Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa will be attending that oath-taking function of Modi. Modi has invited heads of all SAARC nations to attend the ceremony to be held in Rashtrapati Bhawan forecourt tomorrow. Rajapaksa and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif amongst others have confirmed that they will grace the occasion.
Tamil Nadu CM may also not send any emissary to New Delhi for the event. Incidentally, Jayalalithaa and Modi are said to be close to each other, even though they had attacked each other during 2014 Lok Sabha polls campaigning. However, after the results were declared, both of them congratulated each other.
On May 22, AIADMK chief had dubbed as "unfortunate" the PM-designate Modi's invite to Rjapaksa, adding that the "ill-advised" move could have been avoided as it amounted to "rubbing salt into the wounds of the already deeply injured Tamil psyche."
Jayalalithaa recalled the various resolutions passed in the state Assembly demanding an economic embargo on Sri Lanka among others over the alleged war crimes by the island nation's Army under the Rajapaksa Government against Tamils there during the final stages of "civil war".
Apart from AIADMK, other political parties in Tamil Nadu like the DMK have also slammed Modi's invite to the Sri Lankan President. They allege that under Rajapaksa human rights violations and genocide had taken place during the last part of his government's war against the LTTE.
Meanwhile, BJP ally MDMK will stage a black flag demonstration tomorrow at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to protest Rajapaksa's visit. Party general secretary Vaiko had said on May 24 that at a time when everybody was expecting a dawn for Sri Lankan Tamils under Modi's rule, it was unavoidable to oppose Rajapaksa's entry into India.
Assembly elections are due in Tamil Nadu in 2016.
(With PTI inputs)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=spacer}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}