Chennai, Jul 5 (IANS): Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and DMK leader M. Karunanidhi Thursday demanded the immediate expulsion of Sri Lanka Air Force personnel being trained near in Tamil Nadu.

Jayalaltihaa said this was happening at a time when the Tamil Nadu assembly had passed a resolution that India and other countries should impose economic sanctions against Colombo for committing war crimes.

She said in a statement: "When the international community is raising its voice that India should urge Sri Lanka to accord equal rights to Tamils, the news of Sri Lankan air force personnel (coming) for nine months training at the Tambaram air force station (near here) is like piercing (our) heart with a spear."

She said the training and that too in Tamil Nadu "is not only inappropriate but also anti-Tamil". She asked the central government to send back the air force personnel.

Later, former chief minister Karunanidhi told reporters: "If the news is true, it is certainly condemnable. The central government should send back the trainees."

Tamil parties have accused the Sri Lankan military of committing atrocities on Tamil civilians during the final stages of the war against the Tamil Tigers that ended in May 2009.