Intelligence men had gone to their homes in Mannar on July 17, and one candidate Patrick Jenan said his parents had been interrogated over his activities after leaving Jaffna University, where he was a student activist.

The questions they had asked included Patrick’s background and connections, if any, with the diaspora, and as to who had told him to contest the polls etc.

The other candidate, S. Vigneswaran, too was involved in politics during his university days.

He said he too, was questioned by the intelligence men about his university activities.

Vigneswaran has asked them about the motive of his being questioned, and was told that that was being done for his own safety.

He said however, no such questionings of election candidates for their own safety had taken place elsewhere in the country.

The intimidating nature of the interrogation reminds me of the politics of intimidation in the past, he said.

Both candidates said they would inform their party leadership about this questioning, adding that it was undoubtedly an attempt to frighten the Tamil candidates who are contesting with focus on national aspirations of their people.