Tamil Nadu students protest against Rajapaksa invite

24 May 2014

Photo:Tamil Youths & Students Federation

Students in Chennai protested against the the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, earlier on Saturday.

Gathering outside the BJP office in Chennai, students from the Tamil Youths and Students Federation, the Tamil Nadu Students Movement, the Balachandran Students Movement and Progressive Students Front chanted slogans against Rajapaksa's visit to Delhi.

Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, V Prabhakaran of the Tamil Youths and Students Federation stated, “We started this agitation in contempt of the Modi government's decision to invite the genocidal criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa for the Prime Minister's swearing in ceremony”.

Ilayaraja S from the Tamil Nadu Students Movement added,

"When 24 countries have voted for an international investigation [into Sri Lanka], inviting an individual who is suspected of committing genocide and war crimes, disrespects the sentiments of tens of millions of Tamil people here, and breaches resolutions made in Tamil Nadu". 

"It is regrettable that [the BJP] is doing the same thing Congress did over the years." 

Photograph: Loyola Hunger Strike

The protest comes as political parties across Tamil Nadu rallied against the Sri Lankan President's invitation, with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa adding that it had “deeply upset the people of Tamil Nadu and wounded their sentiments all over again”.

Her comments were reiterated by Prabhakaran who added “sentiments are high in Tamil Nadu right now”.

“If Rajapaksa steps foot on Indian soil then the Central government will be facing the consequences from Tamil Nadu”, he concluded.