President Mahinda Rajapakse of Sri Lanka arrived here on Tuesday evening for a four-day visit, his first to India after his re-election this January and handsome win for his alliance in the recent Parliament poll. He is expected to discuss with the Indian leaders his post-war road map for reconciliation and rehabilitation for the Tamils in the island, besides signing some pacts in areas such as development and culture.
On Wednesday, Mr Rajapakse will call on President Pratibha Patil and hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. External affairs minister S.M. Krishna, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj would call on him. The Sri Lankan President is travelling to Shimla on Thursday for an overnight stay and fly back to Colombo the following day.
At least 4,500 people, including 200 women, were arrested across Tamil Nadu for holding demonstrations to protest against the visit of the “killer of Tamils in Eelam”. Of them, 1,100 were held in Chennai, including Viduthalai Chiruthaigal leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, Tamil Nationalist Movement leader Pazha Nedumaran and Vaiko. They were all released later in the evening. The protests were peaceful, barring some cases of burning of Rajapakse effigies.