Indian MP refused entry into Sri Lanka
By IANSTuesday, February 22, 2011
CHENNAI - Thol. Thirumavalavan, a member of the Indian parliament and leader of the VCK party, was denied entry into Sri Lanka by the island-nation’s immigration officials Tuesday and was forced to return.
The MP from Chidambaram constituency in Tamilnadu went to Sri Lanka to attend the funeral of V. Parvathi, the mother of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the head of rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) whose killing brought an end to over 20 years of Sri Lankan civil war in 2009.
Parvathi was ailing for a long while and died Sunday.
Speaking to reporters here, Thirumavalavan, Veduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) leader and a first time MP, said he would raise in parliament the issue of his being turned away by Sri Lanka.
Livid at the Sri Lankan snub, members of VCK, one of the parties in the DMK-led ruling front in Tamilnadu, staged a state wide protest and burnt effigies of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
PMK founder S. Ramadoss condemned the Sri Lankan government’s action.
“Thirumavalavan holds a diplomatic passport and he can visit any country any time. Turning him away is an insult to India and its external affairs ministry,” Ramadoss said in a statement.
Referring to visit to India last year by Sri Lankan Minister Douglas Devananda, a wanted suspect in connection with a murder case in Tamil Nadu, Ramadoss said: “A murder accused is visting India freely. But the turning away of an MP is an insult to the country.”
Ramadoss also demanded Devananda be arrested, seeking the help of Interpol.
–Indo Asian News Service
