Chennai, May 19 - MDMK leader Vaiko today criticised India's decision to lend 'Kapilavastu relics' (fragments of Buddha's bones) to Sri Lanka for an exposition and said the move was an "unpardonable betrayal" of Indian Government against the Tamils.

Citing the alleged killing of ethnic Tamils during the war against LTTE in Sri Lanka, vaiko, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said the decision was "pouring fire in the terribly wounded hearts of the Tamils".

Noting that the sacred Kapilavastu Relics were among the most protected and revered relics in the world and now kept at the National Museum in New Delhi, he said sending them to Sri Lanka was an "unpardonable betrayal of the Government of India against the Tamils".

Vaiko urged the prime Minister to stop sending the relics to Sri Lanka.

India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement yesterday in Colombo on organization of the exposition of the sacred Kapilavastu Relics in island nation from 20 August to 5 September.

The agreement was signed following a request by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to provide an opportunity to the followers of Buddhism in his country to pay homage to the relics. PTI