Swamy’s Sri Lanka visit fuels criticism

Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi president T. Velmurugan has questioned the locus standi of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramaniam Swamy visiting Sri Lanka and having discussion with President Mahinda Rajapaksa on strategic issues.

In a statement released here, he said that Dr. Swamy had led a five-member delegation (BJP Committee for Strategic Action) and probably discussed the feasibility of Sri Lanka establishing marine research centres in India.

Mr. Velmurugan pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution calling for economic sanction against Sri Lanka. Against this background, the visit of Dr. Swamy to Sri Lanka was in contravention of the spirit of the Assembly resolution.

Mr. Velmurugan wondered why the allies of the BJP such as the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam that proclaimed to espouse the cause of the Tamil Nadu fishermen and the Sri Lankan Tamils were keeping quiet about Dr. Swamy’s visit to Sri Lanka. (The Hindu)