Tamil Living Rights Party leader Velmurugan held a protest near the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai, demanding that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay introduce a Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution calling for an international criminal investigation and a public referendum over the Sri Lankan Tamil genocide.
The demonstration, which drew more than 200 members of the Tamil Living Rights Party, was organized to protest the recent removal of a monument dedicated to Thileepan by Sri Lankan police in Jaffna.
Police Detain Protesters at Chennai Demonstration
Police intercepted the demonstrators, placing more than 200 party members into buses and removing them from the protest site. Speaking to reporters and supporters at the scene, Velmurugan criticized the state administration for suppressing public demonstrations and failing to address the removal of Thileepan’s statue.
Eelam Tamils gave you the wealth that made you an actor, yet you are crushing their right to live.
Velmurugan asserted that the government denied permission for legitimate demonstrations, issuing midnight restrictions and confining protesters to a hall before releasing them. He questioned whether the state leadership authorized the police action and demanded answers during the upcoming legislative session. Velmurugan stated that when it comes to Tamils facing issues, there is no permission even to protest.
The party leader further stated that cinema-style reels and small video clips keep getting released, pointing to current political media as evidence that a reel administration rather than a real administration is currently in place.
Tamil National Council Presses Chief Minister for Justice
The demonstration follows similar appeals from groups such as the Tamil National Council (TNC). Through a dispatch sent on May 10 to the newly elected Chief Minister, TNC chief and Member of Parliament Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam extended his congratulations to Vijay on winning the election and taking office, while asking that the Tamil Nadu administration keep a steadfast and resolute stance regarding justice for Eelam Tamils. According to the Council, this action would show consistent support from Tamil Nadu on the Eelam Tamil matter and bolster ongoing demands for global accountability.
The communication from the TNC mentioned that Eelam Tamils have observed May 18 of each year since 2009 as Mullivaikkal Genocide Day, with crowds assembling in Mullivaikkal to honor those who perished during the war’s final phase. Bringing up the 2013 unanimous resolution of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly—which maintained that genocide happened against Eelam Tamils and pressed for a global criminal probe—the TNC appealed to Vijay’s government to enact a comparable measure in the Assembly’s opening session this month.