Lankan PM offers worship at Tirupati shrine

Tirupati (AP), Nov 7: Sri Lankan Prime Minister D M Jayaratne today offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here.

Accompanied by members of his family and officials, Jayaratne was accorded a traditional reception, temple sources told PTI. Jayaratne was presented with a sacred silk cloth, a photo, laddu prasadam and holy water while the priests, amid chanting of Vedic hymns, offered him blessings, they said.

On his maiden visit here, the Lankan Prime Minister stayed in the temple for about half an hour, sources added. Following the high profile visit, a tight security ring was put in place. Jayaratne is in India to participate as chief guest at the 19th convocation of Manipal University in Karnataka, scheduled tomorrow.

Meanwhile, MDMK activists staged a protest against the Lankan Prime Minister's visit at the border town of Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu, police said. A party statement said around 250 black-flag waving supporters, led by party's Deputy General Secretary Mallai Sathya, were taken into custody at Tiruttani when they tried to proceed towards Tirupati.

MDMK is vehement in its criticism of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, especially in the context of civilian Tamil casualties in 2009 at the peak of hostilities between the Lankan Army and rebel LTTE, with the former at the helm of affairs, and the fishermen's issue concerning Tamil Nadu.

PTI