Vasan opposes SL men training

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Union shipping minister G.K. Vasan on Saturday said the state unit of the Congress is of the firm view that Sri Lankan army personnel should not be trained in India.

Demanding that the two Lankan army officials being trained at Defence Services Staff College in Wellington be sent back immediately, Mr Vasan told mediapersons here that he would take up the matter with Union defence minister A.K. Anthony soon.

Referring to the opposition raised by all political parties in the state, particularly ally DMK and ruling AIADMK, the senior state Congress leader said the state Congress is firm that Lankan officials should not be trained in India.

“There is no second thought about it. We are firm in our decision. As soon as I reach Delhi, I will have a detailed discussion with the defence minister to find a permanent solution to the issue,” he said.

To a query about minister of state (defence) Pallam Raju’s recent statement made in this regard, Mr Vasan said the Congress would take firm steps to ensure that such a situation (training of Lankan officials) does not recur.

Asked about the BJP stalling Parliament proceedings over coal blocks allocation issue, he said, “The only objective of the BJP s to stall the proceedings of Parliament” and such action would ‘impair’ the country’s growth.

He also reiterated that it was only the BJP-ruled states that were opposing the auctioning of coal blocks at the beginning.

“It is against people. There are several Bills and official matters pending to be cleared in Parliament,” he said, appealing to the BJP to cooperate for smooth functioning of Parliament.

Mr Vasan was here for the curtain raiser of Indian Maritime 2012, an international exhibition on shipping, ports, maritime technology and logistics, to be held at Goa from October 17.

CPI stages demos across TN

The CPI members observed a daylong fast here on Saturday protesting against the training being imparted by the Government of India to the Sri Lankan defence personnel.

Apart from demanding the Centre to immediately stop providing training to the Sri Lankan defence personnel on Indian soil, the party has sought the government to renegotiate with Colombo on such exercises.

Inaugurating the fast in Chennai, national secretary and MP, D. Raja said the Centre’s contention that Sri Lanka was a friendly country and that the training was extended under the bilateral agreement was “not valid and unacceptable.”

“Bilateral agreements can be reopened and renegotiated,” he said. Flaying the Centre on the issue, Mr Raja said that India continued to train Sri Lankan defence personnel despite all parties in the state demanding that it be stopped.

Even the chief minister J. Jayalalithaa had written to the Centre demanding immediate halt to the training.

But the Centre has not heeded to her demand, he said and added that India should strive for a political solution to the Lankan Tamils.

CPI state secretary D. Pandian, senior leader R. Nallakannu and VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan were among those who participated in this statewide protest.

In Madurai, Pazha Nedumaran, Tamils National Movement founder, who participated in the fast said, “This training must be stopped at once. Government of India should realise that this training has deeply hurt the Tamil sentiments.”

Meanwhile, about 50 Naam Tamizhar members courted arrest while attempting to stop trains.