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Lankan Tamils issue: Centre tries to placate DMK after exit threat
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16
Faced with the DMK threat to pull out of the ruling coalition, the UPA government today reassured its partner that a decision over India’s vote on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on the alleged violation of human rights in Sri Lanka would be taken keeping in mind the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu.

With the issue likely to dominate the national discourse in India in the run-up to the resolution being moved by the US at the UNHRC meet in Geneva next week, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office V Narayanasamy said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would “definitely consider all aspects” and take a decision on the issue that would be in the overall national interest.

“In Tamil Nadu, the issue is very emotive and sensitive for the people and political parties. Therefore, the DMK and its leader M Karunanidhi have mentioned the sentiments on that,” he said. The DMK, a key constituent of the coalition at the Centre, wants India to make efforts to bring about amendments to the US-backed resolution in the UNHRC to seek an independent international probe into the “genocide” allegedly committed by Sri Lankan forces during the last phase of the war with the LTTE in 2009.

On Friday night, Karunanidhi had said: “India should take steps to amend the American resolution to include that war criminals responsible for the “genocide” (of Tamils) in Sri Lanka be identified, hold a free international inquiry against them and take time-bound appropriate action.

“If this request is not heeded, it will be meaningless for the DMK to continue in the Central Government,” he added. On Saturday, Karunanidhi admitted that the Central Government had not responded to his Friday threat. “That is why we have issued the statement (on Saturday).”

Narayanasamy said the Prime Minister had already informed Parliament that the government was committed to protecting the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

India is one of the 47 member countries of the current UNHRC. Last year, India voted in favour of a similar resolution that berated Colombo for rights abuses and more.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka continued to make friendly gestures towards India, hoping that New Delhi would remain soft towards it at the UNHRC meet. Thirty-four Indian fishermen were released by Sri Lanka today. They left for India after spending a night in Jaffna.

Taking a tough stand

With 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha, the DMK has one Union minister and four junior ministers in the Union council of ministers

DMK chief M Karunanidhi (pic) wants India to press for a probe into the alleged genocide that took place in Sri Lanka