Jaya: Discourage visits by Lankan VIPs to TN

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa asked the Centre on Wednesday to permit Sri Lankan dignitaries to visit Tamil Nadu 'only after consulting' the state government because people 'are greatly exercised' over the island government’s conduct on the Tamil issue.

The demand has far-reaching ramifications for Indo-Lanka relations and also Dravidian politics as it reaffirms her status as the strongest proponent of Tamil rights in Sri Lanka.

In a letter to PM Manmohan Singh urging the Centre to 'discourage' frequent visits by Lankan VIPs to TN, CM said, “The local perception is the Sri Lankan government has failed in ensuring local Tamils’ right to live with dignity, self-respect and equal constitutional status on a par with the Sinhalese.”

She recalled there had been recent incidents of Lankan VIPs and other dignitaries coming to TN on private visits without informing the state.

Thirukumaran Nadesan, brother-in-law of Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, visited Rameswaram on January 9-10 and some people tried to attack him. As there was no prior information of his trip, the state government could not take precautionary security measures, she pointed out.

On the other hand, the deputy high commissioner for Sri Lanka in Chennai sent letters to the state chief secretary and the joint secretary, ministry of external affairs. “The tone and tenor of the letter is unwarranted, unacceptable and totally unjustified,” CM said.

She said her government had already written to the Union ministries of external and home affairs on September 16, 2011, and February 24 this year explaining the difficulties faced due to frequent visits by Lankan officials, army officers and VIPs without notice.