Tamil Nadu mostly normal despite strike

Life was mostly normal across Tamil Nadu Tuesday despite a strike called by Tamil outfits demanding India's boycott of the Commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka.

Government offices, schools and public transport functioned as usual. However, in some parts of the state, protesters delayed some trains.

The 12-hour general strike was backed by the MDMK and MMK.

Police in Madurai took into custody MDMK leader Vaiko and his supporters when they staged a rail blockade.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu assembly will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday and is likely to pass a resolution against the central government's decision to depute a delegation led by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid for the Commonwealth meeting.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to stay away from the summit.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu, including both the AIADMK and DMK, were bitterly opposed to the prime minister's visit to Colombo because of what they said were human rights abuses involving Tamil civilians.

Manmohan Singh Sunday sent a letter of regret to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, explaining why he was not attending the summit.

Speaking to reporters here, DMK president M. Karunanidhi said his party would support any resolution moved in the assembly in support of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Queried whether the party would withdraw its decision to provide issue based support to the central government, Karunanidhi said: "The support is not for the Congress. The support is based on issues."