The Tamil Nadu Government has reportedly banned a seminar organised recently by a former LTTE negotiator’s organisation, the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE).

Former LTTE peace negotiator and now self-proclaimed TGTE Prime Minister Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, a New York-based lawyer, had reportedly stated that the TGTE condemned the action of the Tamil Nadu Government in India that had denied permission to the TGTE’s seminar entitled ‘200 Years Tragedy of Malaiyaha (Up-Country) Tamils in the Island of Sri Lanka,’ which had been organised by the Tamil Nadu members of the TGTE and had been scheduled for 15 October.

This undemocratic denial of permission violated Tamils’ rights to both free speech and freedom of association, the TGTE had noted in a statement.

According to reports, the TGTE’s seminar was intended to discuss ways and means to uplift the lives of the Malaiyaha Tamils in Sri Lanka. The conference was to be chaired by retired Tamil Nadu Justice Hon. Hari Paranthaman.

The confirmed speakers had included People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) All India General Secretary V. Suresh, film director Gobi Naiyanar, TGTE Senate member Professor Saraswathi, Tamil Nadu Assembly member S.S. Balaji, Konku Youth Association President and ex-MLA U. Thaniyarasu, Madras High Court Senior Advocate Sankara Subbu, Tamils Lawyers Association Advocate T.M. Johnson, as well as Indian members of the TGTE and other Tamil Nadu-based speakers, the TGTE had said.

The Tamil Nadu members of the TGTE, T. Thamizhinian, Mugesh Thangavelu, G. Pavendhan, and Prof. Saraswathi, are reportedly making preparations to legally challenge the Tamil Nadu Government’s ban on the ‘200 Years Tragedy of Malaiyaha Tamils’ seminar in the Indian judiciary.