Vaiko arrested after attempting to storm Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai

MDMK Chief Vaiko has been arrested by Chennai Police after he attempted to lay siege on the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission today.  Vaiko, who led several pro-Tamil groups, was protesting against alleged war crimes and human rights violations committed by the Sri Lankan government against Tamil civilians.

The MDMK chief is demanding that New Delhi should vote against Colombo during the US-sponsored motion at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) later this month. He has also demanded for an international probe to be initiated against the Lankan government on charges of war crimes.

Vaiko is joined by political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the Karunanidhi-led DMK, who have been pressing for India to vote against Sri Lanka at the United Nations forum.

In fact, the DMK, in a strong statement in the Rajya Sabha last week, had asked the central government it participates in to decide whether it wanted to be friends with Sri Lanka or then “with your brethren” in south India. DMK is the second-biggest constituent of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

External Minister Salman Khurshid had said in Rajya Sabha that while the government shared the concern of the parties from Tamil Nadu, India would not intervene directly in Sri Lanka’s sovereign affairs. The minister had said that “accountability must come from within Sri Lanka”, but remained evasive on the position New Delhi will take at the UN on a resolution against Colombo.

India had supported the US motion last year and this time the international body would review how much Sri Lanka has implemented recommendations of its lessons learnt and reconciliation commission, NDTV reports.