Chennai: A day after MDMK’s Vaiko hit out at Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for allegedly campaigning in support of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the DMK flayed the actor saying that the issue was not only about the Tamils in the island nation but also that of Indian fishermen. Salman Khan’s visit to Sri Lanka to campaign for Rajapaksa at a time when the Indian fishermen were being targeted by the Lankan navy, shows that the actor is not bothered about the Indian fishermen at all. This is highly condemnable,” DMK party spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan said.

MDMK founder Vaiko had criticised Khan for campaigning for Rajapaksa, who is testing his fortunes in next month’s presidential elections in Sri Lanka, eying a third term. Rajapaksa is under fire from political parties in TN as he was at the helm of affairs in 2009 when civilian casualties in the Tamil-dominated areas in Sri Lanka’s northeast reportedly peaked during the last leg of the war between Lankan army and LTTE.

The CPI, too, criticised the Bollywood actor for reportedly campaigning for Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying it was “shameful” for an Indian artiste to do so. “Artistes are known to stand in the frontline for protection of human rights. But it is very serious and shameful for an Indian artiste to campaign for someone who has been accused of genocide. It is shameful for the artiste to stoop to that level,” party national secretary D. Raja said.