{"id":16311,"date":"2013-02-11T00:33:48","date_gmt":"2013-02-11T05:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=16311"},"modified":"2013-02-11T06:16:00","modified_gmt":"2013-02-11T11:16:00","slug":"indians-should-prevent-a-leader-like-mahinda-rajapaksa-from-desecrating-sacred-places-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=16311","title":{"rendered":"Indians Should Prevent a Leader like Mahinda Rajapaksa From Desecrating Sacred Places in India"},"content":{"rendered":"

MDMK Leader Vaiko(V.Gopalswamy)Interviewed By Dilrukshi Handunnetti<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

H<\/strong>ours before his arrest in New Delhi, India, for leading an anti- Mahinda Rajapaksa campaign on 8 February, V. Gopalaswamy aka Vaiko, demanded India should prevent the Sri Lankan President from setting foot on Indian soil and from desecrating two places of sacred worship.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Students protesting visit of President Rajapaksa in Coimbatore-pic courtesy of: PTI<\/p><\/div>\n

Gopalaswamy who has espoused the cause of Tamil nationalism for decades and has been arrested on several occasions under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), is the founder and Leader of the Tamil Nadu-based Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).<\/p>\n

In a brief interview with Ceylon Today, he said, President Rajapaksa was responsible for the violent shedding of Tamil blood to justify a war victory and instead of seeking blessings from Gods, should make his appearance before an international tribunal to answer the many questions on alleged war crimes.<\/em>
\n
\nExcerpts:<\/strong>
\nQ: Why are you providing leadership to an anti-Rajapaksa campaign again? What new reasons are there to protest?<\/p>\n

A: There are no new reasons, but old reasons are still valid. The Tamil people of Sri Lanka were massacred during the final weeks of the war, not forgetting nearly three decades of violence unleashed on them by the Sri Lankan Government and the military forces combined. The war was your President\u2019s choice, the shedding of Tamil blood was part of that choice. The whole world is aware that Sri Lanka today recognizes only the rights of the Sinhalese and crush ethnic minorities.<\/p>\n

India however, has some understanding and appreciation for democracy. That is something Sri Lanka cannot claim. Your country has no respect for democracy, human life or human dignity since this regime was installed in power. Indians should prevent such a leader from desecrating sacred places of worship.<\/p>\n

Q: What possible repercussions do you foresee for protesting against a visiting Head of State in the Indian capitol?<\/p>\n

A: The usual. I was arrested last year for leading a protest march in Madhya Pradesh. I do know the government\u2019s response is likely to be similar. But the problems of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka is unparallel to any other community in that country and this fact cannot be concealed by Delhi\u2019s soft diplomacy or brute force.<\/p>\n

Over 500 were arrested when the protest commenced and I feel more arrests will take place. My arrest is also a possibility. But I will protest against Rajapaksa\u2019s presence in our country and all democracy-loving Indians should do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: You have been on several occasions arrested under the PTA for lobbying the cause of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a banned organization in India. The LTTE is now defeated. Why makes you persist in this manner?<\/p>\n

A: I am protesting against a human rights violator today and not espousing the cause of the LTTE. I have espoused the Tamil cause, and LTTE simply happened to be there in a leadership position. The Tamil people in your country have been marginalized and so much violence had been unleashed on them. There cause is my cause; and I will always take it up.<\/p>\n

Q: Aren\u2019t you breaching security by leading a march towards the Indian Prime Minister\u2019s residence? Isn\u2019t the centre\u2019s approach to Sri Lanka very different?<\/p>\n

A: I think I have every right to draw the attention of the Indian Prime Minister\u2019s attention to Sri Lanka\u2019s flagging human rights record.<\/p>\n

The centre agreeably, has soft-pedalled the issue of human rights violations in Sri Lanka\u2019s North. It has shown considerable insensitivity at times. But the fact remains, the centre cannot continue in that manner. This is why we wanted to bring a protest, otherwise would have been confined to Tamil Nadu, to the political capitol. We want to compel the centre to act.<\/p>\n

Q: However, espousing the Tamil cause has undergone a sea change in the recent past with many groups becoming quiet or reconsidering their stance. Has the MDMK ever discussed this?<\/p>\n

A: Do not define the Tamil cause in a narrow way. The LTTE may have been destroyed but I strongly feel, the LTTE in that name or any other, will emerge soon. It is all very temporary. The Sri Lankan Government fans the flames of mistrust not just with the Tamils but also with the Muslims now. You have no idea of multiculturalism and multiple identities.<\/p>\n

Sri Lankan Tamil political groups may have reconsidered their positions but I have no reason to. I stand for the Tamil cause, I demand human rights for the Sri Lankan Tamils and urge the international community to deal with human rights violators. I feel India as a democracy should take a lead.<\/p>\n

Q: What should India do, in your opinion?<\/p>\n

A: India should, first, prevent President Rajapaksa from setting foot on India (Friday, 8 February). After all, don\u2019t we pride ourselves as a democracy and refer to ourselves as the largest democracy in the world? If so, should India not denounce those who do not live by democratic ideals?<\/p>\n

The second and most important step is to vote in favour of the second resolution by the US against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC Sessions. Thirdly, India should do its best to have Sri Lanka suspended from the Commonwealth.
\nCOURTESY:CEYLON TODAY<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MDMK Leader Vaiko(V.Gopalswamy)Interviewed By Dilrukshi Handunnetti Hours before his arrest in New Delhi, India, for leading an anti- Mahinda Rajapaksa campaign on 8 February, V. Gopalaswamy aka Vaiko, demanded India should prevent the Sri Lankan President from setting foot on Indian soil and from desecrating two places of sacred worship. Gopalaswamy who has espoused the …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Indians Should Prevent a Leader like Mahinda Rajapaksa From Desecrating Sacred Places in India’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16311"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16311"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16321,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16311\/revisions\/16321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}