MDMK Chief Vaiko arrested for protesting against President’s visit

MDMK Chief Vaiko was arrested by the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi yesterday along with hundreds of supporters while protesting against President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to India.

Vaiko was arrested while leading the MDMK protest march from Parliament Street to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence in the Indian capital.

Vaiko said the Indian Federal Government was in partnership with the Sri Lankan Government in carrying out the killing of Tamil nationals in Sri Lanka.

“The Indian Government deliberately designed this plan to invite Rajapaksa to show to the outer world that 70 million Tamils are citizens of India. India will address the issue with the Sri Lankan Government. Therefore, India is a co-accused. The Indian Government, Congress Government, the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government, at the behest of Sonia Gandhi, the Manmohan Singh Government is a co-accused in the crime of genocide,” he said.

“The sacred place of Tirupati will get desecrated if this monster, the killer of Tamils, steps inside. There also our people are agitating. Therefore I have made an appeal to the people of India, to the political party leaders to see, is it fair to bring him here at this juncture?” he added.

“We have arranged for this gathering to protest against the visit of Rajapaksa, a person hated by all in Tamil Nadu. We are protesting because he once said he will destroy the whole of Tamil Nadu,” said Karunanidhi.

Meanwhile President Mahinda Rajapaksa who arrived in Bodh Gaya in Bihar yesterday took part in several religious activities. Leader of Hindu Munnani Rama Gopalan said there should be no hindrance to the President’s pilgrimage.