Parties stage protest against Sri Lankan MP’s visit to Tamil Nadu

The visit of Sri Lankan MP Karu Jayasuriya to Tamil Nadu evoked stiff opposition from members of various political parties who staged a demonstration at Thirukadaiyur in Nagapattinam district on Thursday.

Mr. Jayasuriya, a former deputy leader of the United National Party, Sri Lanka’s main Opposition party, arrived at Thirukadaiyur on Wednesday night from Tiruchi to visit the famous Amirthakadeshwarar Temple and apparently perform rituals at the shrine.

The police said the Sri Lankan MP, who stayed in a hotel, did not perform rituals at Thirukadaiyur and later left for Ananthamangalam and from there to the Thirunallar temple.

Volunteers of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Naam Tamizhar Katchi, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Pattali Makkal Katchi staged a demonstration in front of the hotel where Mr. Jayasuriya stayed. Two lights at the hotel’s entrance were reportedly broken.

The demonstration was held for nearly an hour after Mr. Jayasuriya left Thirukadaiyur. He arrived in Tiruchi on Thursday evening by road from Thirunallar.

A vehicle carrying Mr. Jayasuriya’s baggage from Thirukadaiyur was stoned by some persons on the Chennai bypass road in Tiruchi while it was approaching the G-corner area. There was no damage to the vehicle. Five persons were being questioned in this connection, the police said.

Earlier, Mr. Jayasuriya arrived in Tiruchi from Colombo on Tuesday by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight.

Some members of the Naam Tamizhar Katchi were arrested in Tiruchi after they hurled eggs at the hotel where Mr. Jayasuriya stayed.

The police said workers of the outfit assembled in front of the hotel and raised slogans against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. They then hurled eggs at the hotel’s name board. A posse of police personnel was deployed at the hotel.