New Delhi, May 24 – A day after AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa expressed displeasure over PM-elect Narendra Modi’s decision to invite Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, MDMK general secretary and founder V Gopalsamy alias Vaiko, another NDA ally, also opposed the invitation on Friday.
Vaiko met Modi and BJP president Rajnath Singh and asked them to reconsider the decision. “Rajapaksa is the butcher of Tamils. Mr Modi should reconsider the decision to invite him,” Vaiko told reporters after meeting Modi. On Modi’s response, Vaiko did not say anything, indicating that he got no assurance.
In a letter written to Modi Thursday, he had expressed sadness over the invitation and even made an interesting allegation that it was the Congress which wanted Rajapaksa to come to Delhi. “Congress wants Rajapaksa to come to India so that they could blame BJP for the plight of Tamils. …BJP leaders from Tamil Nadu are also very upset with the decision of Modi,” he said and urged the BJP to ensure that the Tamils’ interests are protected.
He said that Jaitley said the concerns of Tamils were a national issue. Ealier, he met BJP president Rajnath Singh and demanded that the party should “avoid” the presence of Rajapaksa at Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.
Vaiko said he had requested Singh to take up the issue with the Prime Minister-designate. Vaiko gave examples from the past, saying that even Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh had not invited the Sri Lankan president for their respective swearing-in ceremonies.
On suggestions that SAARC leaders were invited to improve diplomatic ties, Vaiko said what was the “diplomatic necessity when hundreds of thousands of Tamils were murdered” in Sri Lanka. Vaiko refused to reply to queries if he would boycot the swearing-in ceremony in the event of Rajapaksa participating. “I am waiting what decision Narendra Modi will take,” he said.
-INDIA TODAY
