After Jaya, Karuna slam UPA, MoD packs off Sri Lankan airmen

Under attack from all political parties, including ruling UPA key ally DMK, the Centre today decided to "send off" the Sri Lankan airmen from the IAF station at Tambaram where they were undergoing training.

"All Sri Lankan trainees are being sent off today from this station as per instruction of the Ministry of Defence," a brief Defence Ministry statement said, a day after all political parties strongly protested training being given to nine Sri Lankan airmen here.

The training of the Lankan personnel by India came in the line of fire from political parties with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa describing it as an "insult to Tamil people" and others including her bitter rival, DMK, also joining in the chorus.

"At a time when there are voices demanding equal status for Tamils in Sri Lanka, reports about Sri Lankan Air Force personnel receiving training at the Tambaram Air force station near here has come as a shock to the Tamil people. I strongly condemn this," Jayalalithaa had said in a strongly-worded statement yesterday.

DMK president M Karunanidhi and MDMK founder Vaiko said it was "condemnable" and demanded that they be sent back.

Air Force personnel are not being sent back from India: Lanka

Colombo: Sri Lanka today said its Air Force personnel are not being sent back from India and they will continue with their training at a different location in the country after their presence at an air base in Chennai came under attack from political parties in Tamil Nadu.

"Reports about a group of Sri Lankan Airmen under training in Chennai being sent back to Sri Lanka is incorrect.

They will continue their training in another location in India without any hindrance to their training programme," the External Affairs Ministry said.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Defence Ministry said the Centre has decided to "send off" the Sri Lankan airmen from the IAF station at Tambaram where they were undergoing training.

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