MDMK Gen Sec Vaiko sentenced one-year jail term in a sedition case

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko on Friday was sentenced to one-year jail term by a special Chennai Court in a case of seditious speech filed against him in 2009.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 for his speech.

Speaking to ANI after being convicted, Vaiko said, "Yes I spoke the same. I spoke my mind in a book released by Nedumaran. I spoke because Indian unity should not be split. It's not against the country. I spoke about Tamil Eelam tigers in Parliament too."

"Judge said the accused sought for a lenient punishment but I have never asked for a lenient punishment and I said the same to the judge. I wanted as many as jail terms. Yes, I will plant seeds in the youth mind," he added.

A case under Sections 124-A and 153 were filed against the MDMK leader in 2009 by Tamil Nadu Police for his speech in which he had warned that India would not remain a united single country if the war against banned outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka was not stopped.

Vaiko has been a self-confessed supporter of LTTE chief Prabakaran and his idea of a separate homeland for Tamils and the Tamil Eelam.

Prabakaran founded a militant group called Tamil New Tigers in 1972 and the LTTE in 1976 and waged a prolonged war against the Sri Lankan Army in the backdrop of the ethnic strife, involving majority Sinhalas and minority Tamils.

The LTTE, accused of assassinating former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, has been outlawed in India since 1992.