Clergy, politicos take umbrage at Trichy hooligans
By P. Krishnaswamy
Bishop Rt Rev. Thomas
Soundaranayagam
Mannar |
|
Batticaloa/
Trincomalee Bishop
Rt.Rev.Kinsley
Swampillai |
|
Bishop Rt.Rev.
Rayappu Joseph |
|
DPC leader
Prabha
GanewshanJaffna |
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CWC President
Muthu Sivalingam |
The recent mob-harassment of Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu who were on a
pilgrimage to Velankanni and the Poondi Matha Christian shrines has
drawn a barrage of criticism not only from Sri Lanka's Tamil political
and religious leaders, but also from a wide cross-section of Indian
leaders and some of India's widely-read English newspapers.
Deputy Minister Muthu Sivalingam who is President of the Ceylon
Workers' Congress (CWC) which represents a bulk of the Indian origin
plantation community and Prabha Ganeshan, UPFA Parliamentarian and
leader of the Democratic People's Congress (DPC) said that these acts
perpetrated by certain extremist Tamil political leaders for their mean
political gains will be counter-productive. Such acts will pose a threat
to the lives of over 1.5 million Tamils of Indian origin living in
brotherhood and harmony amidst the majority community, they said.
Tamil Catholic Bishops of Jaffna, Mannar and Batticaloa/Trincomalee
the Rt. Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam, Rayappu Joseph and Dr. Kingsley
Swampillai said that they condemned in no uncertain terms the mobbing
and harassment of pilgrims who had gone to perform their devotion at the
shrines in Tamil Nadu.
The leaders of Tamil Nadu, the Central Government, the Catholic
Bishops of Tamil Nadu and all concerned authorities, including the
police, should take steps to ensure that the pilgrims' right to worship
is not denied."
Excerpts of their comments:
CWC President Muthu Sivalingam: "The historic and cultural ties
between India and Sri Lanka date back thousands of years. The Indian
origin Tamils of the central hill country have lived as brothers with
the majority community, outside the North and East, for over 150 years.
They were unscathed even during the 30 year intensive military
operations against terrorism. The Tamil Nadu political extremists are
trying to make them scapegoats for their mean political gains. The Sri
Lankan Buddhists have religious links in India. President Mahinda
Rajapaksa is a Buddhist and he has every right to visit India for
performing his religious obligations.
"Thousands of Sri Lankan students are going for their higher studies
to Indian universities. Sri Lankan girls, mostly belonging to the
majority community , study performing arts, especially ' Bharatha
Natyam', in fine arts institutions in India and they remain exponents
and 'brand managers' of those arts in Sri Lanka.
An average of 10 flights operate daily between airports in Tamil Nadu
and Colombo and a majority of the passengers are Tamils. Do these
extremist leaders want to impair all these?"
Colombo UPFA MP Prabha Ganeshan: "Certain extremist leaders of Tamil
Nadu have either conveniently forgotten that over 1.5 million Tamils of
Indian origin are living amidst the Sinhalese majority in the central
hill country or are they not aware of this fact. Their activities,
patronised by sections of the Tamil diaspora, pose the threat of
impairing the atmosphere of peace and brotherhood prevailing between the
different communities in the country.
They should take into consideration the welfare and security of the
Indian origin Tamils instead of taking recourse to acts, purportedly for
the benefit of the North-East Tamils, which will be counter productive
in the long run. While I strongly condemn such acts, I believe that the
State Government and the Union Government will take all necessary steps
to prevent any repetitions."
The Bishop of Mannar Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph: "This type of act to
prevent people earnestly desiring to worship and to be in the divine
presence at the Velankanni and Poondi Matha shrines is inhuman. No one
has a right to prevent the spiritual desires of devotees being
fulfilled. Devotees from all parts of the world and belonging to many
religions go on pilgrimage to these shrines.
They must be left alone to perform their devotion. It is very strange
and saddening that such a thing has happened. I condemn it in no
uncertain terms.
They went on pilgrimage and not for any political purposes. Such
things should not be repeated. The governments of Tamil Nadu, the Indian
Centre and the authorities concerned should take all measures necessary
to prevent such disgraceful acts being repeated. From whatever quarters
the pilgrims may come their religious conscience and their right to
worship should be respected. I also appeal to the Catholic Bishops of
Tamil Nadu to take measures to ensure that such unfortunate incidents
are not repeated in the future."
Bishop of Jaffna Rt. Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam: "It is not ethical
to harass pilgrims who go to perform their vows and perform their
devotion. I strongly condemn it. The authorities concerned should take
steps to dissuade such things being repeated in the future.
Those who are behind these incidents should realise that the pilgrims
from Sri Lanka went for religious and spiritual purposes.
They should not mix it up with politics. The people should be free to
visit the places of pilgrimage and carry out their devotions in these
places."
Bishop of Batticaloa/Trincomalee Rt. Rev. Dr. Kingsley Swampillai:
"We regret and condemn these incidents. The pilgrims were Catholics and
non-Catholics. |