NEW DELHI: Even before Narendra Modi is sworn in as Prime Minister, he is facing trouble from allies in Tamil Nadu.
The decision to invite Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the oath taking ceremony has invoked the ire of the allies in BJP and other political parties in Tamil Nadu. NDA ally and MDMK chief Vaiko on Friday met Modi and BJP chief Rajnath Singh urging them to withdraw the invite to the Lankan president.
Vaiko even submitted documents to explain how Tamils were massacred by the Sri Lankan army during the civil war in 2009.
“Rajapksa is the butcher of Tamils. Modi should reconsider the decision to invite him (for the swearing-in ceremony on May 26),” Vaiko said after meeting the Prime Minister-designate.
“Met Modiji, he heard me patiently for 25 minutes, Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah were also present during the meeting. I handed over them documents against Rajapaksa,” Vaiko said, adding that the leaders said the issue of Tamils in Sri Lanka was not just a Tamil problem, but a national issue.
He however went on to add that it was Congress that wanted Rajapaksa to come to India, so that they could blame the BJP for the plight of Tamils. “BJP leaders from Tamil Nadu are also upset with the decision of Modi to invite the Rajapaksa.”
Vaiko had also written to Modi on Thursday after reports of invitation to Rajapksa came out.
In a separate meeting with Rajnath Singh, the MDMK chief urged him to persuade his party not to invite the Lankan president.