CHENNAI: MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Friday appeared before the special Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) tribunal set up by the Centre regarding the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the country. However, his petition to implead himself in the case is yet to be accepted by the tribunal.
Vaiko submitted before the judge Sangeeta Dhingra Sehgal that his application should be accepted as he was a deep sympathiser of the LTTE. However, the counsel for the Centre objected, saying that Vaiko can never be impleaded in the case since he was neither a member nor an affected party. Without accepting Vaiko’s application, his views were recorded by the tribunal.
Later, addressing mediapersons, Vaiko said, “I have filed similar application since 2010 which were all accepted by the judges. However, this time it was not accepted and I was told to appear on Saturday”. He added that after Chennai the next stage of hearing would take place in Madurai in October.
Five witnesses were also present at the hearing on Friday, including three Deputy Superintendents of Police and two Inspectors who submitted their statements on behalf of the State government alleging that there is an LTTE movement across the State.
It is to be recalled that India banned the LTTE after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991. Since then the ban imposed on the group has been extended once in five years. The government recently issued a notification extending the ban till 2024.