Political developments in Sri Lanka 'mysterious'; triggering concerns among Tamils: DMK

The DMK Saturday said that the sudden regime change in Sri Lanka encompasses "several mysteries" and has triggered concerns among Tamil Nadu fishermen and Tamils in the island nation.

Stalin, the leader of opposition in the assembly, said the return of Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the country's new prime minister has shocked Tamils across the world.

"The changes that have occurred in the Sri Lankan government in a single night encompasses several mysteries and have threatened the Tamils there who are denied their rights," he alleged.

Also, the developments have triggered concerns among Tamil Nadu fishermen, he said.

Stalin cited the recent Delhi visits of Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe and media reports about Sirisena alleging that Indian intelligence agency RAW hatched a plot to assassinate him.

Sirisena, however, later denied making such allegations.

The background to Rajapaksa assuming office all of a sudden as Sri Lanka's premier, though he doesn't have a majority, has shocked Tamils, Stalin claimed.

The DMK chief alleged that Rajapaksa was behind the killings of Tamil people (during the civil war between Sri Lankan Army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009) and Tamil Nadu fishermen at the hands of Lankan Navy during his tenure.

Ousted Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe Saturday sought an emergency session of Parliament to prove his majority, as the island nation plunged into a constitutional crisis after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked him and made former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa the new premier.

Stalin said that "if such a situation continued in Sri Lanka", it would become a challenge to India's interests. He asked the Centre to give clarifications on the recent visits of Lankan leaders and the allegations drawing RAW into a controversy.

Referring to the Tamil Nadu government's recent recommendation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit to release all convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the DMK leader asked the Centre to devote its "attention" to the matter and urged Purohit to take a favourable decision.