Tamil activists protesting Lankan president visit arrested

Police arrested hundreds of Tamil activists staging protests across Tamil Nadu against the three-day state visit of Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa to India from Tuesday.

DMK’s close ally and Dalit political organisation Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) spearheaded the protest in front of the Sri Lankan deputy high commission’s office in Chennai.
VCK chief Thol Thirumalavan, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) founder Vaiko, Tamil nationalist leader P Nedumaran and Left party leaders, who vociferously joined the protests, were arrested.

“Rajapaksa is responsible for the death of innocent civilians in Mullivaikal during the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE). Rajapaksa has grossly violated human rights and has still not taken action to rehabilitate Tamils affected by the war,” Thirumavalavan said.

DMK, ADMK and the Congress did not react or comment. There were reports of rasta roko, rail roko and burning of effigies in many regions. Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, protests and black flag demonstrations were held against Rajapaksa’s visit by MDMK and other pro-Tamil organisations.