VIRUDHUNAGAR: State Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Monday said Chief Minister MK Stalin’s video message was not aired at the “Naam 200” event marking the bicentenary of the arrival of Indian-origin Tamils (IOTs) to Sri Lanka and sought to know the underlying reasons for it.
Although several leaders from India addressed the 200th anniversary of the IOTs on November 2, the video address of CM Stalin was not telecast, he said, and wondered why it was skipped, especially after the organisers sought and obtained it.
“I was constrained to cancel my visit to Sri Lanka (to attend the meeting) on the night of November 1, as till 8.30 pm, I could not get the ‘political’ clearance from the Centre,” Thennarasu told reporters here.
The Centre’s nod, however, was given late on the night of November 1, and by that time he had called off the visit, he said.
Asked about Centre’s role, he replied, “I don’t wish to directly name anyone. But, I leave it to your speculation on why the organisers could not telecast the CM ’s video message.”