Chennai:
India’s
move to lend rare fragments of the Buddha's bones to Sri Lanka for the 2,600th
anniversary of Buddha's Enlightenment has sparked a row with pro-Ealam Tamil
outfits opposing the move claiming it to be an act of betrayal.
Addressing
a gathering here in Chennai, MDMK leader Vaiko slammed Prime Minister Manhomhan
Singh for yielding to the request of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse.
“When
the Sri Lankan government’s hands is stained by blood of Tamils sending the
relics to Sri Lanka is an unpardonable betrayal of the Government of India
against the Tamils,” Vaiko said.
India
and Sri Lanka signed an agreement on Friday in Colombo on organisation of the
exposition of the sacred Kapilavastu Relics in island nation from 20 August to
5 September. The move by Indian government comes in the wake of Sri Lankan
President Mahinda Rajapaksa personally requesting the favor of Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan when he visited New Delhi last June.
The
relics were excavated by Alexander Cunningham, the first director of the
Archaeological Survey of India, in the late 19th century from ruins in
Piprahwa, in Bihar.
“I
have written a letter to Prime Minister and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
against sending relics of Buddha to the state,” said Vaiko.
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