Lankan MP claims not allowed to participate in Ganesh chathurthi

Rameswaran (TN), Sept 11: A Sri Lankan MP on Tuesday claimed that he was denied permission to participate in a Ganesh Chathurthi procession here.

Seeniththamby Yoheswaran, MP from Mattakalappu in Sri Lanka, told reporters that police, citing prohibitory orders, did not allow him to participate in the function organised by Hindu Makkal Katchi, supporters of Sri Lankan Tamils. He, however, said he was allowed to offer prayers at the temple here.

Yoheswaran said that he would meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and convey his dismay at not being allowed to participate in the procession. Prohibitory orders were clamped from Monday to October 31 in Ramanathapuram district to prevent any untoward incidents during Dalit leader Immanuvel Sekaran's death anniversary and 'Thevar Guru Pooja'.

The death anniversary of Immanuvel Sekaran is to be observed on September 11 and Thevar Guru pooja on October 30 and 31. He said it was distressing to note that the Lankan government, which had got the islet of Katchatheevu as a 'gift', was not permitting Indian fishermen to fish in the area.

Katchatheevu was ceded to Lanka by India in the 1970's. The MP described the north and eastern provinces of Lanka as the "hereditary and traditional dwelling place of Tamils" and alleged the island nation's Army had been deployed in full strength in both provinces, violating the Indo-Sri Lanka accord of 1987.

He said elections to these provinces would be held and retired judge Vigneswaran would participate in it.

PTI