Parties sympathise with Lankan pilgrims’ plight
With the pro-Tamil outfits attacking Sri Lankan pilgrims in the state, the DMK on Tuesday said it was only opposed to India’s training defence personnel from the island nation while the CPI(M) expressed concern over the hostility towards the visitors.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi said his party was strongly opposed to India’s training of defence personnel from Lanka, but was not averse to players’ visits.
“All that we can insist is there should be no military training to Sri Lankan personnel in India as the military was responsible for the death of civilian Tamils. That is why we are opposing the training for Lankan personnel and even stoutly opposing it in Parliament,” Mr Karunanidhi said in reply to a query on Lankan pilgrims being forced to leave for home after some local pro-Tamil outfits staged a protest against them near Thanjavur Monday.
When asked about his party’s stand on the state government sending back a Lankan football team, Mr Karunanidhi said it is usual for sportsmen, especially cricketers from the two nations, to travel to either country to play matches.
On Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s proposed India visit later this month on an official engagement, the DMK chief said, “It is not acceptable to us that he, responsible for the killing of lakhs of Tamils, is accorded a special welcome”, in India.
Expressing concern over “hostility” against Lankan visitors in the state, the CPI(M) said nothing should be done to disturb people-to-people relations whatever be the Lankan government’s approach towards the Tamils issue. It also appealed to the people and political forces in TN to ensure that friendly and harmonious relations are maintained with the people of Sri Lanka.
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