Bhopal: Turning down the request made by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to MDMK general secretary V Gopalsamy known as `Vaiko` to call off his party`s protest against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, MDMK workers on Monday left for Sanchi to demonstrate against violation of rights Tamils in the island nation.
"We have turned down the request of the Madhya Pradesh chief minister and urged him to allow us to protest peacefully in a democratic manner against Rajapakse`s visit. Nearly 1000 people in 41 buses have left Chennai`s Marina Beach after paying respect to Anna Durai for Sanchi to stage a peaceful demonstration. Vaiko is leading the convoy of 41 buses and we will reach Sanchi by Septemeber 20-21," MDMK sources told PTI from Chennai.
The MDMK general secretary had written a letter to Chouhan requesting him to cancel Rajapakse`s visit to lay the foundation stone of the International Buddhist University at Sanchi, as people in Tamil Nadu hold him responsible for the killing of large number of Tamils in the island nation.
However, Chouhan wrote to Vaiko requesting to give up the protest claiming that the programme at Sanchi is totally apolitical in nature, as it was aimed at bringing together civilisations of several Asian countries.
Chouhan also said that his government has extended invitation to the heads of nearly 15 Asian countries including the prime minister of Bhutan, who will be at Sanchi to take part in the programme.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.