Opposition criticises DMK’s shutdown against Sri Lankan war

September 14th, 2009 CHENNAI - Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly J. Jayalalithaa Monday supported the view of central Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister M.K.

July 22nd, 2009 SILIGURI - The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), spearheading an agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state, is now considering withdrawal of the indefinite shutdown it has called in the Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal ahead of the tripartite meeting on the issue next month. "We're discussing within our party the issue of withdrawing the indefinite shutdown in the hills.

July 22nd, 2009 RANCHI - The shutdown call given by Maoists against rising prices of the essential commodities in Jharkhand evoked a mixed response here today. Mohammed Sahid, a train passenger said, "Maoists were justified in giving a shutdown call." Mohammed Chand, a bus agent, said that everyone was at loss and nobody would gain anything from this shutdown.

July 14th, 2009 RAIPUR - A dawn to dusk shutdown called by the opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh Tuesday to protest the killing of at least 29 policemen by Maoists crippled life across all 18 districts with the public and business houses voluntarily joining it. According to initial reports reaching here, the shutdown was total in all urban areas, including Raipur, Bhilai, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur -- the headquarters of the restive Bastar region.

July 13th, 2009 RAIPUR - The opposition Congress has called for a shutdown Tuesday in Chhattisgarh to protest the killing of 29 policemen in three separate attacks by Maoists in Rajnandgaon district Sunday. State Congress chief Dhanendra Sahu Monday said that the shutdown is to highlight the failure of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in controlling the Maoist violence in the state.

July 12th, 2009 GUWAHATI - The recent shutdown called by the United Liberation Front of Assom (ULFA) evoked a mix response in Assam. t did not have much of an impact, as people were seen on the streets and private vehicles continued to ply on the roads.

June 30th, 2009 CHENNAI - Members of the opposition AIADMK, MDMK and PMK were evicted from the Tamil Nadu assembly Tuesday when they sought to raise the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils. Trouble started when AIADMK members wanted the house to pass a resolution asking the Indian government to bring Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the International Court of Justice.

March 30th, 2009 CHENNAI - Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) would welcome creation of a separate 'Eelam', a homeland for the Sri Lankan Tamils provided it is created by a democratic process, said M Karunanidhi, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Talking to the reporters here today, Karunanidhi said, "We will be glad if a separate Eelam is created (in Sri Lanka) by people voting for it." He accused the opposition parties of spreading rumours that DMK does not support Sri Lankan Tamils.

March 23rd, 2009 RANCHI - People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) shutdown call given on Sunday to protest the killing of a rebel commander and some other members of a group during an encounter with the Police affected normal life in Jharkhand. This Maoist outfit has called for a daylong shutdown.

March 12th, 2009 CHENNAI - AIADMK Chief and former Tamil Nadu chief Minister Jayalalithaa has decided to go on a hunger strike for the Lankan-Tamil cause. Her huger strike will start in Chennai on Monday from 9 am to 5 pm.

February 6th, 2009 CHENNAI - A Congress party worker in Tamil Nadu Saturday succumbed to burn injuries a day after he set himself on fire. The death trigerred a protest by opposition parties in the state, who said the immolation was over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

February 3rd, 2009 CHENNAI - A 12-hour shutdown called by some opposition parties in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Wednesday to protest civilian deaths in Sri Lanka ended peacefully though over 1,100 protestors were arrested amid sporadic incidents of violence. While authorities in Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry claimed near normalcy, opposition leaders insisted the daylong general strike was a success despite the government's attempted suppression.

February 2nd, 2009 CHENNAI - Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Tuesday announced formation of the Forum for Welfare and Rights of Lankan Tamils (FWRLT) to demand 'power devolution in Sri Lanka for ensuring an honourable existence of the ethnic minority there'.

January 31st, 2009 CHENNAI - The Tamil Nadu government Sunday termed 'illegal' the Feb 4 shutdown called by the 'Lankan Tamils Protection Movement' (LTPM) and warned it of stern action if the agitation affected the movement of essential commodities and services. 'If movement of essential commodities and services are hindered during the illegal shutdown of the state proposed by the Lankan Tamils' Protection Movement, stern action will be initiated to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential commodities and services,' said a government press release.

January 22nd, 2009 COLOMBO - Sri Lankan Navy has arrested at least 22 Indian fishermen with six boats while fishing illegally in Sri Lanka's northern sea waters off Kankesanthurai (KKS), official sources said here Friday. The sources told IANS that the Sri Lankan Navy has arrested these Indian fishermen trespassing into the Sri Lankan territorial waters late Thursday and handed them over to the KKS police for investigation.