Treat derogatory article on TN CM as national issue: CPI

: CPI today demanded that the Centre treat the "derogatory" article against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on a Sri Lankan official website as a national issue and not solely as a matter pertaining to the state.
Condemning the article which appeared in a defence website, party's state unit secretary T Pandian told reporters here that the union government should not think of it as merely a matter pertaining to the state, but take it up as a national issue.
The "derogatory" article had appeared in the Lankan Defence Ministry's website along with a graphic image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The article triggered widespread public and political outrage in the state, prompting Sri Lanka to remove it and issue an unqualified apology to the two leaders.
On other issues, Pandian demanded that the Tamil Nadu government take steps to regulate sand mining and initiate stern action against the sand mafia.
The State Government should also initiate steps to avert establishing TASMAC liquor shops at the premises of temples, mosques and churches, he said.
Pandian criticised the BJP government at the centre for its 'inefficiency' in controlling spiralling prices of essential commodities, which he said was due to hoarding and demanded that steps be taken to check the practice.