CRPF training called off after uproar, 44 Lankan policemen sent back

Curtains came down on the controversial CRPF-sponsored training programme for Sri Lankan policemen near Coimbatore today...

Curtains came down on the controversial CRPF-sponsored training programme for Sri Lankan policemen near Coimbatore today, with Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announcing in the state Assembly that the 44 cops from Sri Lanka had been sent away from Tamil Nadu.

The decision came in the wake of some pro-LTTE political outfits in the state creating an uproar over the Centre8217;s decision to provide training to Sri Lankan policemen, 8216;8216;particularly in the backdrop of the Lankan government8217;s increased attacks on the Tamils. This was like 8216;8216;providing training to the Lankan cops on Tamil Nadu soil to kill Tamils in the Island nation,8217;8217; they have alleged.

Karunanidhi said the Lankan policemen had left Tamil Nadu last night following instructions from the UPA government to the CRPF to stop the two-week training programme which began on August 1. The PMK, a partner of the ruling DMK, the Opposition MDMK and its ally, the Dalit Panthers of India DPI, known to be strident pro-LTTE outfits, objected to the training programme.

8216;8216;I received information that the police contingent from Sri Lanka has left Coimbatore last night,8217;8217; Karunanidhi told the Assembly. On August 2, MDMK leader Vaiko had sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demanding that the training be stopped immediately as 8216;8216;it hurts sentiments in Tamil Nadu.8217;8217; The same day, the issue was raised in the state Assembly by a MDMK member.

Karunanidhi said state Chief Secretary, L K Tripathy, had written a formal letter to the Union Home Secretary yesterday.8216;8216;On the basis of this letter, the Government acted quickly to send back the Sri Lankan police contingent home,8217;8217; he said. CRPF sources claimed that the training programme had been a mere 8216;8216;routine international co-operation exercise.8217;8217;

The chief minister told the agitated Opposition members that the training programme at Kurudampalayam, 25 kms from Coimbatore, 8216;8216;was not military in nature, but only police training8217;8217; on civilian aspects, like crowd management, enforcing order and ensuring peace at public meetings. 8216;8216;This should not be misconstrued as training given to the Sri Lankan Army,8217;8217; he pointed out.