tamil nadu released the killers of Gandhi and now

Tamil Nadu parties slam Manmohan govt for not backing anti-Lanka resolution in Geneva

March 28, 2014, 10:30 pm 

NEW DELHI, March 28: Tamil Nadu parties across the political spectrum today slammed India’s abstention from voting on the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Thursday.

While most of them including DMK have welcomed a majority of countries adopting the resolution, they have been critical of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s stand in not voting in its favour.

On Thursday, India had abstained from voting in the US-sponsored resolution at UNHRC, saying it imposes an "intrusive approach" of international investigative mechanism which was counter-productive, apart from being "inconsistent and impractical".

The country had, however, voted against Sri Lanka, charged with alleged war crimes during the peak of hostilities in 2009, in the previous years amid clamour for its support by Tamil Nadu political parties, including former UPA constituent DMK and ruling AIADMK.

Even Congress veteran and Union Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram felt that India should have supported it. Expressing his ‘personal opinion’, Chidambaram said India should have voted in favour of the resolution, irrespective of whether it was strong or not, since 23 countries had supported the US-backed initiative.

However, the Congress Party downplayed Chidambaram’s remarks. "He is certainly entitled to that view and we understand that he is from Tamil Nadu. Equally, the Congress, on a national perspective, is entitled to agree to disagree with it", party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said.

DMK chief Muthuvel Karunanidhi flayed India’s stand, saying its ‘inhumane’ decision has left the Tamils, both at home and abroad, disappointed.

Referring to India’s explanation that the resolution at the UNHRC imposed an "intrusive approach" besides undermining Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, he said this was "strongly condemnable" and that even Congressmen in Tamil Nadu will not accept this.

If national sovereignty was an issue, Karunanidhi asked: How could first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ‘intervene’ in the racism issue in South Africa, or how could his daughter Indira Gandhi help Bangladeshi leader Mujibur Rehman in that country’s liberation?

He recalled he had demanded that India move a separate resolution seeking credible international probe into alleged human rights violations during the peak of conflict in 2009.

The DMK Chief claimed credit for India’s support to a similar resolution in 2012, when his party was part of the ruling UPA dispensation, but it had walked out of the government last year after "India in association with Sri Lanka watered down" the resolution last year, besides engaging in ‘anti-Tamil’ activities.

With 23 countries, including US, which had no "direct relation" with Tamils in the island nation, passing the resolution, India’s abstention was a "matter of shame" and it amounted to killing one’s own child, Karunanidhi charged.

Veteran CPI (M) leader and party’s Rajya Sabha MP, TK Rangarajan, questioned the very authority of the Manmohan Singh government to take such a policy decision since it was a ‘minority’ one and elections were on.

"My opinion is that the government cannot take any decision on international matters. It should have convened an all-party meeting since any new government may come to power after elections. What the Congress (government) did is against people," he said.

MDMK founder Vaiko also slammed the government, saying it had committed an "unpardonable crime" by not voting in favour of the US-backed resolution.

CPI leader D Raja had described New Delhi’s action as "another betrayal" by the Congress-led UPA government.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of DMK, welcomed UNHRC adopting the resolution and demanded dismissal of Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

India’s abstention showed it did not respect people’s sentiments, VCK founder Thol Thirumavalavan said.

Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) leader K Veeramani also criticised India for not voting in support of the resolution.

Pro-Tamil ‘May 17 Movement’ claimed India’s abstention "clearly shows that it is in favour of Sri lankan government."

Its founder Tirumurugan Gandhi said India does not want any pressure on Colombo and claimed New Delhi’s south Asia policy "is failing."