Coimbatore: Activists of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK), Nam Thamizhar Iyakkam and other parties staged demonstration and rail rokos in Coimbatore and neighbouring Tirupur district on Monday to protest against the visit of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the Prime Minister’s swearing-in function.
According to Coimbatore police, atleast 33 persons from Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi were held for attempting to block trains at Coimbatore railway junction on Monday evening.
In another demonstration that took place at the Gandhipuram bus stand, around 70 members from Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK) were held shouting slogans against Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa.
K. Ramakrishnan, general secretary of TPDK who led the demonstration said that they were against the visit of Mahinda Rajapaksa for Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony as he had committed genocide against the Tamils in the island nation.
Coimbatore Advocates Association also jointed the protest and raised slogans against the Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa. They burnt effigies and posters of Rajapaksa in front of the district court complex here.
Protests were also held in rural parts of Coimbatore, including Tirupur and Pollachi by various pro Tamil outfits against the arrival of Rajapaksa which they said had hurt Tamil sentiments. They protestors criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending an invitation to the Sri Lankan leader Rajapaksa.
