By IANS
Chennai : Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha Wednesday accused Malaysia of treating its Tamil nationals as “third class citizens” and urged India to take up the issue of “ethnic discrimination” with Kuala Lumpur.
In a statement here, in the wake of widespread protests in Malaysia by Tamils of Indian origin, Jayalalitha said that the treatment of Tamils in that country was “barbaric”.
“Baton-charging of Tamils, who were only fighting for their just rights, and not providing treatment to the injured is a crime under the Commonwealth nations’ rules,” she said.
The Malaysian Police fired tear gas and used water canons to disperse a rally Nov 25 by over 10,000 ethnic Indians in Kuala Lumpur, mostly Tamils, in support of a $4 trillion lawsuit brought by them against Britain over their economic woes.
Jayalalitha said that there was a need for urgent intervention by the Indian government on behalf of the Tamils.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko too has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up the issue with Malaysia.
“Making up some 8 percent of Malaysia’s population, Indians are historically underprivileged, compared to other ethnic groups, and have long felt discriminated,” Vaiko said in his letter to the prime minister.