3RD LEAD

Arrests in historical numbers in Tamil Nadu, TVK vows to fight for international investigations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 September 2015, 23:28 GMT]
Around 100,000 supporters of Thamizhaka Vaazhvurimaik Kadchi (TVK), a prominent party led by T. Velmurugan gathered at various cities of Tamil Nadu State on Monday and staged protests blocking the Indian Railway. “The main demand of our party is independent international investigations on genocide. The USA should decide whether it is interested in listening to 65 million Tamils in the region or 15 million Sinhalese in genocidal Sri Lanka. The Indian government should listen to the unanimous resolutions passed by the TN Assembly. The UN should decide whether it is going to discard Tamils as victims in favour of a Member State that has no constitutional mandate of Eezham Tamils. We are not going to welcome the Hybrid Court that recognizes the genocidal State as a party and ignores Tamils as victims,” Mr Velmurugan told TamilNet on Tuesday.



Around 60,000 TVK supporters courted arrest on Monday. “This has not taken place during the recent 25-year history of protests in Tamil Nadu,” Mr Velmurugan claimed.

However, the mainstream English media in India has suppressed the news of TVK's protest, informed sources in Chennai said.

“We welcome the protests being staged by other parties in Tamil Nadu. But, unlike others, we can mobilize masses in large numbers in support of Eezham Tamils. On Monday, we proved that by mobilizing 100,000 Tamils across the State,” Mr Velmurugan said.

The TVK leader was speaking to TamilNet after staging the State-wide protest at prominent cities. His party is a coalition partner of the ruling AIADMK.

The TVK protesters were blocking Indian rail tracks at Ariyaloor, Chennai, Chithamparam (Chidambaram), Kadaloor (Cudalore), Tharmapuri, Krishnakiri, Ku'rignchip-paadi, Mathurai, Neyveali, Pa'nruddi (Panruti), Paa'ndich-cheari (Pondicherry), Rameasvaram, Chealam (Salem), Thaamparam, U'lunthoor-peaddai, Vadaloor, Vantha-vaasi, Vizhuppuram, Viruthaachchalam, Pa'n-nadam and Thooththuk-kudi (Tuticorin).

Panruti T. Velmurugan led the protest at Tharmapuri. TVK General Secretary and former MLA Mr Kaveri led the protest at Panruti.

Former MLA Mr Kamaraj moblised the masses at Chealam (Salem) and another ex-MLA Mr Sanmugam led the protest at Chennai.







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