Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrives in India; protests galore in TN

CHENNAI/TIRUPATI: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today began his two-day pilgrimage to India amid strong protests from various Tamil Nadu political parties, including DMK and MDMK, which charged him with making efforts to "annihilate" the ethnic Tamils in the island republic.

Commencing his tour with a visit to Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, the visiting dignitary arrived in Tirupati this evening to offer worship at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara.

Tight security arrangements were made for the private visit of Rajapaksa which evoked protests in Tamil Nadu.

Leading the protests in Chennai, DMK chief M Karunanidhi, whose party is a key UPA ally, alleged Rajapaksa was not only attempting to "annihilate" Tamils but also the Tamil language.

The protesters, wearing black shirts, gathered in large numbers under the banner of the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation, which Karunanidhi had revived some months ago, and shouted slogans against Rajapaksa.

"This protest is being held against the visit of war criminal Rajapaksa who has been denounced by the world for his vow to annihilate the Tamils", Karunanidhi told the protesters who included his son M K Stalin, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan and senior party leaders.

"There would not been any necessity for us to protest against Rajapaksa now if we had protested together earlier. We could have achieved Tamil Eelam. We missed it", the DMK patriarch said adding a meeting of TESO would be held in Delhi on March 7.