Two NRI MPs demand apology from Tamil protesters

LONDON: Condemning the recent violent protest by pro-Tamil supporters before the Indian High Commission here, two leading Indian-origin Labour MPs on Wednesday demanded an apology from them, saying there was no excuse for "violent action".

In a joint statement, Keith Vaz, former minister, and Virendra Sharma, who quit recently as a Parliamentary Private Secretary, said there was no excuse for "violent action" and those responsible must "apologise".

The demonstrators protested before the Indian High Commission on Monday, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the fighting between Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE in the island country.

During the protest, the bullet-proof front glasses of the High Commission were smashed, window panes broken and five of the demonstrators barged into the High Commission. Police arrested three persons on charges of damaging public property.

"Although feelings are running extremely high because of the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka, this is no excuse for violent action and we call upon those responsible to apologise and for the police to investigate and bring to justice those who have carried out these acts.

"The Indian government has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka and we have consistently called for peaceful demonstrations and a peaceful resolution of the crisis," they said in the statement.

Initially there were about 100 demonstrators at the India House whose strength swelled to upto three thousand at one stage. On the same day, about 250 demonstrators attacked the Sri Lankan mission injuring two police officers.