TNI Bureau: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who visited India, was welcomed amid protest in Madhya Pradesh. MDMK general secretary Vaiko was arrested protesting his visit. He has been protesting for alleged atrocities against Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Rajapaksa’s visit was strongly opposed and Vaiko preferred to be arrested along with thousands of his supporters in Chhindwara near Sanchi while trying to enter Sanchi, where the Lankan president is scheduled to inaugurate to inaugurate a Buddhist University on Friday.

Not only Vaiko, but all the political parties of Tamil Nadu, including DMK and AIADMK, have been protesting against the alleged violation of human rights of ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka during war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The Tamil Nadu parties had also written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposing Rajapaksa’s visit to the country. However, they failed to stop his visit to India. Even PM and Lankan head held discussion about resettlement issue on Thursday in Delhi.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had urged Vaiko to cancel his protests saying Rajapaksa’s visit has no political agenda and he should be welcomed to the state.