Tamil Nadu parties and key political figures have unanimously condemned the appointment of the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka's prime minister due his role in war crimes and mass atrocities committed against Eelam Tamils in 2009.
Sri Lankan plunged into political crisis on Friday as the president, Maithripala Sirisena sacked the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa.
The Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami pledged to continue his predecessors fight to bring Rajapaksa to justice at an international court.
“The [Tamil Nadu] government, which is following in the footsteps of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, has not changed its stand on Mr Rajapaksa, who killed Sri Lankan Tamils. Though Jayalalithaa is no more, the government will continue to stand by the demand she made – that Mr Rajapaksa should be declared a war criminal,” Palaniswami told The Hindu.
"When Amma [Jayalalithaa] was the chief minister, she had sought Rajapaksa to be a war criminal by the international court of justice. Even if she is no more, the AIADMK government will stand by her statement," Palaniswami told Times of India.
His condemnation was echoed by the DMK chief M K Stalin who said, "Apart from being accused of killing innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka towards the end of the Eelam war in 2009, Rajapaksa was also responsible for attacks on Tamil fishermen."
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said, "Lanka's president and PM Will try to derail all probes against them for the atrocities committed during the Eelam war. India must interfere and stop the Lankan parliament from giving a nod for Rajapaksa's appointment."
MDMK leader Vaiko highlighted the UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for accountability and condemned both Rajapaksa and Sirisena.
"During the Eelam war, when Rajapaksa was the president, Sirisena was part of the government. Thus, both are against Tamils," Vaiko said.
