Vaiko, Nedumaran arrested for defying ban

CHENNAI: MDMK General Secretary Vaiko and Tamil National Movement leader P Nedumaran were arrested on Monday for defying a ban on a rally to condole the death of slain LTTE political wing leader S P Thamilselvan in an air raid by the Sri Lankan Air Force on November 2.
   
About 300 protestors from parties like MDMK, Indian National League and Tamil National Movement courted arrest along with the two leaders near the Munroe statue here while trying to go ahead with the rally.
   
Raising pro-LTTE and Tamil Eelam slogans, Vaiko charged the Manmohan Singh led UPA government at the Centre with "supplying arms to the Sri Lankan army, which are being used against innocent Tamils."
   
Criticising the Tamil Nadu government for refusing to grant permission to take out a rally condoling Thamilselvan's death, he demanded to know why Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi had penned an eulogy on the leader's death.
   
"We have gathered here to express not only the feelings of Tamils in Tamil Nadu but all over the world," Vaiko said.
   
Nedumaran condemned the 'fascist rule' in Tamil Nadu for denying permission to the rally.
    
Protestors, including Vaiko and Nedumaran carried pictures of Thamilselvan and other LTTE cadre who were killed in the air raid.
 
Vaiko, Nedumaran and others are likely to be remanded to judicial custody, police said.