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TN assembly seeks resolution for referendum in Sri Lanka

The assembly also called for passing an economic sanction against Sri Lanka till it stops the alleged oppression on Tamilians

Gireesh Babu Chennai
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly today asked the Government of India to move a resolution in the United Nations Security Council demanding a referendum in Sri Lanka on need of a Tamil Elam State. The assembly also called for passing an economic sanction against Sri Lanka till it stops the alleged oppression on Tamilians.
 
The assembly sought the centre not to mention Sri Lanka as a friendly nation in future. The Chief Ministr of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa, during her speech in the assembly, said that even though the assembly passed a resolution seeking the central government to impose economic on Sri Lanka,the Union Government has not taken any action on it so far.
 
 
The proposed resolution for referendum should also suggest that all Tamilians in Sri Lanka and Tamilians with Sri Lankan origin living in other countries should also have the right to participate in the referendum.
 
The assembly reiterated the demand earlier raised by the major parties in the State, to conduct an international investigation and trial on the alleged war crimes against Tamilians in Sri Lanka.
 
Jayalalithaa said that the Sri Lankan government, even at present considers Tamilians in Sri Lanka as second class citizens. However, the Government of India is not paying heed to the demands of Tamilians and is indifferent to the demands, she added.
 
She alleged that the UPA government which had DMK as a partner, has a major role in supporting Sri Lanka in its actions against Tamilians there. DMK revived TESO, the Tamil Elam Supporters' Organisation, after the party lost its power in the State. While DMK still says that it has sacrificed the alliance with the central government in support of the Tamilians in the issue, T R Baalu, the parliamentary member from DMK, sill heads the Standing Committee on Railways, she added.
 
Jayalalithaa questions Sri Lankan presence in Sun Risers Hyderabad
 
The Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has criticised the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Supremo M Karunanidhi for being silent on the presence of Sri Lankan players in Sun Risers Hyderabad, the Indian Premier League (IPL) team of Hyderabad owned by Sun Group, run by the nephew of Karunanidhi.
 
In her speach in the assembly, she stated that it is the victory of the government that the Indian Premier League (IPL) managers decided not to bring in Sri Lankan players in matches conducted in the State. She alleged that Karunanidhi is taking contradictory steps related to the issue, by not opposing the Sri Lankan players in Sun Risers while asking the centre to stay away from the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the Leaders’ Retreat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in November, this year.
 
It may be noted that Kumar Sangakkara, the prominent Sri Lankan cricket player, would lead the Sun Risers Hyderabad team in IPL, according to the team website. Further, the team bought Sri Lankan all rounder Thisara Perera for $675,000 in the auction held on the first week of February.
 
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First Published: Mar 27 2013 | 5:09 PM IST

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