File-PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist
DMK Walks Out of LS Over Khurshid's Remarks on Lanka

India today continued to be evasive on its stand to be adopted on the resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Commission, triggering an angry walk out in Lok Sabha by UPA constituent DMK and AIADMK which was joined by BJP and JD(U).

Amidst demands that the country take a strong stand on the resolution in UNHRC, Geneva, against the human rights violations in the island, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said India would take the "best possible" decision.

India wants an "independent and acceptable" inquiry into the issue, he added while winding up a short-duration discussion on the issue.

But Khurshid parried questions when members, cutting across party lines, wanted to know the government's "clear cut" stand on why India should not not move a resolution on its own or how it would vote on the proposed US-sponsored motion at the UNHRC in Geneva soon.

Ruling out any direct intervention in Sri Lanka, he said the government needed to be careful as whatever it would do "should not be thrown back at us in the future as everybody is not our friend".

"We don't play the policeman of the world or the big brother in any country," Khurshid said when members, especially those from Tamil Nadu were agitated that the Centre was "ignoring" the plight of Tamils and the "genocide" by the Sri Lankan army.

Noting the anger, particularly among members from Tamil Nadu, he held out an assurance that sentiments and concerns expressed by them during a debate on plight of ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka, would be factored in the government's stand at the UN.

Dissatisfied with Khurshid's reply, members of the DMK, AIADMK and BJP and JD(U)reply staged a protest walkout.

At the same time, Khurshid sent out a message to Sri Lanka saying "closure" to the 27-year-old wounds, which have spilled over to India, will happen only when "there is acceptance of truth and reconciliation" and Tamils are given dignity, comfort and participation in the country's affairs.

Earlier, members belonging to Congress' allies as well as the Opposition attacked the government for not taking a clear cut stand.

They demanded that India should take the lead in ensuring passage of a resolution against Sri Lanka at an upcoming meeting of the UNHRC in Geneva.

"When the resolution comes, we will take into account what all members said, Leader of the Opposition said, study what has happened on the ground, look at what Sri Lanka has to say, what other countries have to say and then take best possible decision," Khurshid told the House.

"What we do should be effective. It should not be lukewarm. What we do must be fair. How we do it and what to do must be left to the government," he said.

Khurshid said India would press for an "independent and acceptable inquiry into human rights violations so that there is closure to the 27 year old problem."

He made it clear that India would not like to play a policeman to the world and favoured diplomacy at it can achieve what "war cannot do".

"Whatever we say or do today must not tomorrow be thrown back at us in future .... That should not be used against us," Khurshid said.

Emerging story. Watch this space for updates as more details come in
Follow us on Twitter for all updates, like us on Facebook for important and fun stuff
Translate into:
© Copyright PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of any PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without their prior written consent.


Post a Comment
Share your thoughts
You are not logged in, please log in or register
Must See
Daily Mail
Digression

6/D-10
Mar 08, 2013
01:02 AM

 An abstention, perhaps.

ashok lal, mumbai
5/D-176
Mar 07, 2013
08:59 PM

Sonia must be missing Pranab in the role of mediator, instead of President.

Male Unblocked, Chennai
4/D-171
Mar 07, 2013
07:24 PM

Pakistan and China will put India in a difficult situation mentioning incidents in Kashmir.

S.S.Nagaraj, Bangalore
3/D-159
Mar 07, 2013
05:48 PM

There should be independent and acceptable inquiry into human rights violations in Sri Lanka, says Khurshid.

What does the DMK want - a motivated and unacceptable inquiry? Any inquiry report which does not meet their pre-conceived notions will be unacceptable.

Bonita, Chennai
2/D-155
Mar 07, 2013
05:22 PM

Before taking any leap frog on this issue India should consider its own vital National Security interests.Pakistan and China have already made declared they will support SL .
Don't decide emotionally but with a cool mind in view of National Security angle .

ASHOK KUMAR GHAI, Mumbai
Order by

Order by

Order by

ABOUT US | CONTACT US | SUBSCRIBE | ADVERTISING RATES | COPYRIGHT & DISCLAIMER | COMMENTS POLICY

OUTLOOK TOPICS:    a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   
Or just type in a few initial letters of a topic: