<p>Chennai: Tamil Nadu could not be represented at ‘Naam 200’, an event organised to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Indian-origin people in Sri Lanka, in Colombo last week due to “late arrival of political clearance” for Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu from the Ministry of External Affairs, the state government said on Monday. </p> <p>The ’clarification’ from the DMK dispensation after reports emerged that a video message from Chief Minister M K Stalin was not played at the event organised by Sri Lankan Minister Jeevan Thondaman due to objection from the Indian government over its “last minute” inclusion. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and leaders from the AIADMK and BJP were part of the event held on November 2.</p> <p>Thondaman invited Stalin to attend the event but the Chief Minister deputed Thennarasu, one of the senior ministers, to represent him. The Public department sent a request to the Ministry of External Affairs on October 28 seeking “political clearance” for Thennarasu to travel to Colombo to attend the event. He was booked on a November 2 flight. </p>.Sri Lanka cricket board sacked after heavy defeat to India in ICC World Cup.<p>“Till 8.30 pm on November 1, we didn’t get the clearance from the MEA. After discussions with officials, I asked the concerned to cancel the flight tickets because I felt the permission won’t come through in the night,” Thennarasu told reporters on Monday. </p> <p>However, the MEA clearance was granted at around 9.30 pm on November 1 but the ticket was cancelled by then, the minister added. </p> <p>Thennarasu also said the event organisers contacted the Chief Minister’s Office at around 11 am on November 2 to check the possibility of a video message from him. “The request was accepted and the video message was sent within 2 hours. But it was not played at the event. We don’t know what happened,” the Finance Minister said. </p> <p>However, Thennarasu said, responding to a question, that he will not blame anyone but “clarified” the government’s position. A media report said Stalin’s message was not played at the event due to non-clearance by India. </p> <p>Known as Hill Country Tamils, the community is concentrated in the Central part of Sri Lanka after having migrated from India, particularly Tamil Nadu, in the 19th and 20th century to Sri Lanka to work in tea, coffee, and rubber plantations. These people are not related to ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka who live in north-eastern parts of the island nation.</p>
<p>Chennai: Tamil Nadu could not be represented at ‘Naam 200’, an event organised to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Indian-origin people in Sri Lanka, in Colombo last week due to “late arrival of political clearance” for Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu from the Ministry of External Affairs, the state government said on Monday. </p> <p>The ’clarification’ from the DMK dispensation after reports emerged that a video message from Chief Minister M K Stalin was not played at the event organised by Sri Lankan Minister Jeevan Thondaman due to objection from the Indian government over its “last minute” inclusion. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and leaders from the AIADMK and BJP were part of the event held on November 2.</p> <p>Thondaman invited Stalin to attend the event but the Chief Minister deputed Thennarasu, one of the senior ministers, to represent him. The Public department sent a request to the Ministry of External Affairs on October 28 seeking “political clearance” for Thennarasu to travel to Colombo to attend the event. He was booked on a November 2 flight. </p>.Sri Lanka cricket board sacked after heavy defeat to India in ICC World Cup.<p>“Till 8.30 pm on November 1, we didn’t get the clearance from the MEA. After discussions with officials, I asked the concerned to cancel the flight tickets because I felt the permission won’t come through in the night,” Thennarasu told reporters on Monday. </p> <p>However, the MEA clearance was granted at around 9.30 pm on November 1 but the ticket was cancelled by then, the minister added. </p> <p>Thennarasu also said the event organisers contacted the Chief Minister’s Office at around 11 am on November 2 to check the possibility of a video message from him. “The request was accepted and the video message was sent within 2 hours. But it was not played at the event. We don’t know what happened,” the Finance Minister said. </p> <p>However, Thennarasu said, responding to a question, that he will not blame anyone but “clarified” the government’s position. A media report said Stalin’s message was not played at the event due to non-clearance by India. </p> <p>Known as Hill Country Tamils, the community is concentrated in the Central part of Sri Lanka after having migrated from India, particularly Tamil Nadu, in the 19th and 20th century to Sri Lanka to work in tea, coffee, and rubber plantations. These people are not related to ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka who live in north-eastern parts of the island nation.</p>