Five University and college students commenced indefinite fast at Mullivaikkal Mutram Memorial here on Saturday, urging central Government to honour the resolution adopted by the State Assembly and press the United Nations to conduct referendum for Eelam among Tamil people living in the world.
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They also demanded an enquiry by an autonomous world body into war crimes in Sri Lanka.
The students - P. Karthik and S. Arunkumar (both of A.M.Jain College, Chennai), S. Jayaprakash and A. Sivaraj (both of Annamalai University) and G. Yuvaraj (Dr. Ambedkar Law College, Chennai), who are on fast said that they observed indefinite fast in support of their demands in Sengodi Arangam at Koyambedu in Chennai city on Friday. In the evening, they alleged, police came and forced them to vacate the venue. Later they decided to revive the fast at Mullivaikkal Mutram at Thanjavur on Friday night and continued it on Saturday.
Mr. Jayaprakash said that they were not against Tamil Nadu Government. In fact we are in support of the resolution passed in the State Assembly on the Sri Lankan issue and appeal to the centre to press in the Geneva Convention of UN to conduct a referendum for Tamil Eeelam. Moreover, we were fasting in a private building at Chennai and police do not have a right to vacate us. "We thought Mullivakikkal Mutram isthe right place to continue the fast and came here" Mr. Jayaprakash said. "We will continue till our demands are met", he said.
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P. Nedumaran, President of Ulaga Thamizhar Peramaippu said that there is no need to get police permission to fast in a private building. Police, Mr. Nedumaran alleged, brought pressure on the owner of the building and also on students to vacate. This showed the high-handedness of Tamil Nadu police, Mr. Nedeumaran said.