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Wigneswaran leads 10,000 people in protest against TNA, Govt.
View(s):By Chris Kamalendran
More than 10,000 people led by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneshwaran took to the streets of Jaffna yesterday to protest against what they see as the Tamil National Alliance’s failure to fulfil pledges given during the election campaign.
In support of the protest, shops were closed in Jaffna and in certain other areas in the northern province. The protest was organised by former parliamentarian Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam.
Following the three-hour protest, supporters held a meeting at the Open air theater at Pannai in Jaffna.
Mr. Wigneshwaran said the protest was not against the people of the South, but against the TNA and the Government for failing to keep their promises.
“The TNA during the election campaign said it would discuss with the Government and find a speedy solution to the ethnic issue. The TNA has said it will support the proposed Constitution, but we have doubts whether it will help the minority Tamils,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the Northern people feared that those from outside would be settled in the North in a manner that would change the ethnic ration.
The protest was supported by two of the 16 TNA members in parliament. They were Dharmalingam Siddarthan and Siva Shakthi Anandan. Former TULF leader V. Anandasangaree and EPDP members made an attempt to join the protest, but they were not welcomed.