File-PTI Photo/ Vijay Verma
TN Not to Host Asian Athletics Games: Jayalalithaa
Amid protests over the alleged brutal killing of slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran's son, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today called off the 20th Asian Athletics Championships scheduled to be held here in July, saying Lankan players have no place in the state.

Jayalalithaa said her government had written to the Asian Athletics Association in Singapore seeking that Lankan team be desisted from participation considering the "sentiments" of the people in Tamil Nadu, as the Lankan government was "repeatedly acting against the ethnic minorities".

The decision comes a day after Jayalalithaa slammed the Lankan government over the "inhuman act" of alleged cold blooded killing of 12-year-old Balachandran by the Lankan army, which has also evoked a strong condemnation from various political parties in Tamil Nadu including DMK.

The sporting body had been requested to intimate to the Lankan government in the appropriate way the state government decision, Jayalalithaa said.

"It had been requested that they update us on the follow-up action with copies of the letter sent to Secretaries of Union External Affairs and Sports Ministries. But there has been no information from the Association so far".

"Since there has been no favourable response from the Asian Athletics Association, my government will at no cost accept holding the event, in which Sri Lanka is also participating, in Tamil Nadu. Tamils also will never accept it," she said in a statement.

The upcoming sporting event will not be conducted by Tamil Nadu government in any part of the state and the Association will be asked to hold it elsewhere, she said.

She reiterated her charge that the killing of Balachandran was a "a grave war-crime which cannot be forgiven."

Jayalalithaa recalled her various pro-Tamil initiatives after assuming office in 2011, including passing a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly asking New Delhi to impose economic embargo against Sri Lanka till minority Tamils were ensured equal status on par Sinhalas.

She had written to the Prime Minister against training Sri Lankan defence personnel in any part of the country, she said.

She had sent back Sri Lankan football players who had arrived in the state to play friendly ties and said she had 'condemned' Centre for allowing their entry into Tamil Nadu.

The Chief Minister said she reiterated the 2011 Assembly resolution during her reply in the recent Assembly session, seeking Centre act against Colombo but the pleas from Tamils seem to have "fallen in deaf ears," and were being dumped in the bin, she charged.

Jayalalithaa pointed out that during her media interaction on Wednesday, she had sought India to discuss with US and other like-minded countries to draft a resolution in the upcoming UNHCR meeting in March at Geneva against Sri Lanka for alleged rights abuses and make alleged war-crimes accused face International Court of Justice.

Emerging story. Watch this space for updates as more details come in
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1/D-116
Feb 21, 2013
07:10 PM

The 12 year old kid was shot with bullets to the chest. What depraved people could perform such a barbaric act?! I agree with Jayalalitha, SL President needs to apologise for these atrocities. Its not as if Indian Tamils are on an ego trip, we share a common culture with the SL Tamils, and can feel the hurt more intensely. If we dont speak up, then the atrocities will continue unabated. SL Tamils deserve to live as full and equal citizens of SL.

Rajesh Chary, Mumbai
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