The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko on Wednesday criticised the Centre as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Madhya Pradesh government for inviting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to a function in Sanchi near Bhopal. “Despite knowing that Rajapaksa is solely responsible for the genocide of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh has invited him and the Centre endorsed his visit,” Vaiko, who arrived here from Chennai with over 1,000 MDMK supporters, told reporters before heading to Sanchi.

Rajapaksa is scheduled to participate in the foundation-laying ceremony of the International Buddhist University at Sanchi on Friday. “I had strongly objected to Rajapaksa's visit but Chouhan did not bother about our requests and went ahead to invite him. Similarly, Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj also met Rajapaksa recently, which we did not like,” Vaiko said.

Vaiko and MDMK workers, who arrived here on Wednesday morning in several buses, are planning to stage a protest in Sanchi against Rajapaksa over alleged atrocities on Tamils in Sri Lanka.

The MDMK leader said he had also sought BJP leader LK Advani and party national president Nitin Gadkari's intervention in the matter “as the Rajapaksa government had demolished over 2,000 Hindu temples in their country, but they, too, ignored our request.” “Rajapaksa is responsible for the brutal massacre of innocent Tamil children, who were killed with their hands tied and semi-naked,” Vaiko said. When asked about his possible detention, Vaiko said he and his party workers are ready to face any action.