Thirumavalavan, VCP activists arrested

Dalit-based outfit Viduthalai Chiruthaaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan, MP, and around 200 party supporters were arrested today for trying to stage a protest pressing for various demands including retrieval of Katchatheevu.
They were arrested since permission had not been granted for the protest, police said.
Thirumavalavan insisted that India should boycott the Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka in November since the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was "accused of human rights violations against civilian Tamils in the final phase of the Eelam War."
Katchatheevu is in the news with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa moving the Supreme court seeking to declare as unconstitutional the agreement under which it was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974.

In response to the plea, the Centre in its recent affidavit in the Supreme Court has said no territory belonging to the country was ceded nor sovereignty relinquished.