Tamil Nadu Police denies permission to Muthukumaran statue

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2010, 13:43 GMT]
Tanjavoor police in Tamil Nadu Sunday denied permission to erect the statue of Muthukumaran of Kolaththoor in Tamil Nadu who had set himself ablaze demanding to stop the war waged on Eezham Tamils by Sri Lanka Army. ‘I’lanthth Thamizhar Iyakkam’ (Young Tamils Movement) had decided to erect the statue of Muthukumaran near Tanjavoor in Tamil Nadu and to hold a public meeting named ‘Mu’l’livaaikkaal Veerava’nakkam (Mu’l’livaaikkaal Homage of Valor) Sunday. Tamil Nadu Police banned the meeting and the Torch Marathon that was to be held before the meeting and the opening of the statue event, sources from Tamil Nadu said.

YTM had decided to open the first statue of Mutukumaran in Tamil Nadu near Tanjavoor and the public meeting that was to be preceded by a Torch carrying marathon race Sunday morning.

The police refused to reveal the reason for the ban but the public meeting was held Sunday.

YTM youths resolved at the end of the meeting to condemn the action of Tamil Nadu government and to urge all Tamil sympathizers of the cause to have a statue of Muthukumaran in each of their houses.

YTM coordinator Arunbarathi said that YTM will accomplish the task of erecting Muthukumaran’s statue in all parts of Tamil Nadu.

On Friday 30 January 2009, Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eezham political wing said in a condolence message that, "The LTTE salutes the sacrifice of Muthukumaran, who carried the emotional message of the 70 million Tamil Nadu people against the genocidal war by the Sinhala chauvinism in Tamil Eelam."

Muthukumaran, an employee of the PMK-run 'Pennae Nee' magazine, had set himself ablaze on Thursday 29 January 2009 "to express solidarity with the Sri Lankan Tamils".