^{Members of Periyar Dravada Kalagam and VC protesting against the Indian Government for allowing Sri Lankan Army Officials at the DSSC Wellington, in Coonoor on Friday. Photo: The Hindu}


Jayalalithaa accusing the Centre of “mischievously concealing” the training given to two Sri Lankan military personnel at the at the Defence Service Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington sparked off protests in the city with cadres of Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (PDK), Naam Tamizhar Party and Viduthualai Chiruthaigal Katchi taking to the streets on Saturday. At least 65 protestors were arrested.

A protest by PDK workers in front of the 110 Territorial Army camp at Red Fields in the city was spoiled by the police. Twenty one party workers were arrested when they refuse to obey police order and disperse. Later in the evening, the police arrested 44 workers of MDMK, who tried to block traffic by squatting in front of the passport office on Avinashi road.

PDK general secretary K Ramakrishnan claimed that Sri Lankan soldiers were being trained for the past few months at the defence facility in Wellington. Alleging that Tamils in Sri Lanka were suffering at the hands of that Lankan army, he condemned the decision of Union government to train soldiers in Tamil Nadu. Giving support to Sri Lankan army personnel was to insult Tamils, who were being killed in that country, he said.

Meanwhile, VCK has announced that it will hold a protest and block traffic in Coonoor in the Nilgiris on Sunday. “We have come to know from the CM’s statement that Sri Lankan army men were getting trained at the DSSC. We have planned for a protest including road- roko on Sunday morning in Coonoor,” said K Sagadevan, Nilgiris district secretary of VCK.

When asked if the VCK has confirmed the news about Lankan army personnel being trained at the DSSC in Wellington, Sagadevan said that CM’s statement was enough of evidence.

DSSC officials, however, refused to comment on the issue citing the defence protocol. However, one of the officials who did not want to be named said the news was not a confirmed one.

Similar protests were organised in July when a few military officers from Sri Lanka came to the DSSC on a study tour. Established in 1948, the college housed at Wellington amidst picturesque surroundings in the heart of the Nilgiris, trains officers of all the three wings of the armed forces of India. It provides training programmes to army personnel from other countries as well. – Times of India