SL military officials leave TN

24 June 2013 05:00 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 20 Bookmark

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Bowing to pressures from Pro-Eelam Tamil outfits and Tamil Nadu Government over their training in Defence Service Staff College in Wellington in neighbouring Nilgiris district, two Sri Lankan Military personnel left Tamil Nadu this evening.

Wing Commander M S Bandara Dassanayek and Major C S Harischandra Hettiarachchige were undergoing training in the College from May 27 despite objection from the State Government and protests from almost all the political parties and Pro-Eelam Outfits.

The Government and political parties were against providing training to the officials in Tamil Nadu even after assurance given by Defence Minister A K Antony earlier that no Sri Lankan officials will be trained in future on Tamil Nadu soil.

Political parties and like-minded organisations were blaming the Congress for this "injustice meted out to Tamil Nadu despite the killings of thousands of Tamils by Sri Lanka Government in the war against LTTE" and were mounting pressure on the Centre to immediately recall the officials.

The agitation reached its peak on Sunday, when nearly 200 workers of Naam Tamilzhar Katchi, stormed onto the campus of Madras Regiment Centre, housing the College and raised slogans against the Government and Sri Lanka and tore Congress and Lankan Flags.

In the wake of the agitation, the officials along with their families were sent from the College campus this evening by road, accompanied with personnel in 10 military trucks, with armed guards and dropped at Coimbatore City Airport, College sources said.

The officers, with their families, are going to Mumbai and from there to Sri Lanka, according to their scheduled plan, the sources said. (PTI)