Indian Regional Politician Detained for Protesting Sri Lankan President's Visit - Photos

Ahead of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s visit to New Delhi, a regional Indian politician protested in the national capital against his visit.

The police detained Vaiko, founder-General Secretary of a regional political group in the southern Tamil Nadu State and a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, along with about 150 of his supporters.

Before his detention, Vaiko claimed the conditions of minority Tamils in Sri Lanka were worse than during the Nazi era Germany and Poland.

“Their army has become more attentive in the Tamil areas. I suggest India should not get cheated by Sri Lanka. Gotabaya Rajapaksa will never establish a friendship with India because of their geopolitical interests which will be supported by China and Pakistan,” said Vailko.

Vaiko said India should not forget the killing of 40,000 Tamils in 2009 by the Sri Lankan Military, then headed by Rajapaksa.

Protesters could be seen holding placards which read “Tamils Need Justice Punish Rajapaksa Brothers, Killers of Tamils”, “Tamils Never Forgive the Killers”.

Rajapaksa, the younger brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and the former defence secretary of Sri Lanka, was sworn-in as the island nation's seventh president for a five-year term earlier this month after winning the election by securing over 52 percent of the vote.

He rose to fame during the final stage of the civil war, which lasted from 1983 and 2009, while taking part in the defeat of Tamil separatists during the final stage of the civil war, which lasted from 1983 to 2009, against the Tamil Tigers who were fighting for independence.