Chennai students on fast over Lankan Tamil issue

[ Saturday, 09 March 2013, 02:16.01 PM GMT +05:30 ]

Eight students of a Chennai city-based college have embarked on a ‘fast-unto-death’ over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

The Press Trust of India reported that the students of the Loyola College, who began the fast yesterday, are staging the protest to press their seven-point charter of demands including an independent probe against Colombo for alleged war crimes, referendum on Tamil Eelam (separate homeland for Tamils) and slapping economic sanctions on Sri Lanka, protester Joe Britto said. Students from various colleges supports the second day of the  hunger strike. This protest currenlty unday at Koyampedu bus stop. Meanwhile, DMK President M. Karunanidhi has appealed to the students to withdraw their fast and resort to other peaceful means of protest. “Considering that life of every youth is important, the students should immediately withdraw their hunger strike and instead involve themselves in other peaceful means of protest,” he said in a statement. MDMK chief Vaiko met the students today and expressed his support to them. Speaking to media Vaiko went on to say, I thorughly condemns police activity taken against these students. 19 students have sacrificed their lives for Lankan freem struggle. MDMK always ready to support these students, leader said.