Tamil Nadu Film Directors' Association members led by M Ameer staged a day-long hunger strike in which top filmmakers including Shankar, A R Murugadoss and Balaji Shaktivel participated.
Their demands included implementing a Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution seeking economic sanctions against Colombo till Tamils are ensured status on par with majority Sinhalese and conducting a referendum among the Sri Lankan Tamils for a separate Tamil Ealam (homeland).
The students protests entered the eighth day today in various parts of the state including the city with the participants resorting to various forms of protests including human chain, police said.
In Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu State Chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) President Dr L P Thangavelu told reporters that the association members would join the protest tomorrow.
IMA members will wear black badges and conduct rallies at district headquarters, besides observing one-day fast on Mar 21, without affecting the patients and other emergency works, Thangavelu said.
IMA TN Chapter wanted the Centre to render justice to the Sri Lankan Tamils at least at this stage and enable them live peacefully, he said adding an independent committee should be formed by UNHRC, without any representatives from Asia, to look into the war crimes and rehabilitation process.