Attempting to regain lost political ground and mount pressure on the Centre over the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has decided to lead an all-party delegation to Delhi on December 4. The resolution came at an ‘emergency’ meeting of legislative parties convened by Karunanidhi.
The delegation will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention for an ‘immediate’ ceasefire in the island nation.
It is not clear whether representatives from opposition AIADMK, its ally MDMK, BJP, CPI, CPI-M and DMDK will be part of the delegation as they boycott the meeting, terming it "unnecessary".
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, which was attended by leaders of DMK, Congress, and PMK, Karunanidhi ruled out withdrawal of support to the UPA government at the Centre over the issue, saying it is not necessary at this juncture.
The Chief Minister said his only regret was that a ceasefire had not come about in Sri Lanka, despite a promise by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in this regard.
It was also decided at the meeting that MPs from all political parties from the state would meet the Prime Minister on November 28 to reiterate their demand.
A resolution adopted at the meeting asked the Centre to warn the Sri Lankan government to stop the war against Tamils in the island nation, instead of just asking them to do so repeatedly.
However, Karunanidhi said the Centre had ensured supply of food, medicine and clothes to Tamils in the island nation soon after Mukherjee visited Chennai to discuss the matter with him.
Casting aspersions over the motives of the meeting, opposition sources said “ with the anti Tamil battle in Sri Lanka escalating with each passing day, he (Karunanidhi) is merely attempting to cover up for the Center’s inactivity over the matter.
“Why has the so called emergency meeting decided on a 10 day wait before traveling to Delhi, the Tamil cause may well be dead by then,” they added.
The delegation will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention for an ‘immediate’ ceasefire in the island nation.
It is not clear whether representatives from opposition AIADMK, its ally MDMK, BJP, CPI, CPI-M and DMDK will be part of the delegation as they boycott the meeting, terming it "unnecessary".
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, which was attended by leaders of DMK, Congress, and PMK, Karunanidhi ruled out withdrawal of support to the UPA government at the Centre over the issue, saying it is not necessary at this juncture.
The Chief Minister said his only regret was that a ceasefire had not come about in Sri Lanka, despite a promise by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in this regard.
It was also decided at the meeting that MPs from all political parties from the state would meet the Prime Minister on November 28 to reiterate their demand.
A resolution adopted at the meeting asked the Centre to warn the Sri Lankan government to stop the war against Tamils in the island nation, instead of just asking them to do so repeatedly.
However, Karunanidhi said the Centre had ensured supply of food, medicine and clothes to Tamils in the island nation soon after Mukherjee visited Chennai to discuss the matter with him.
Casting aspersions over the motives of the meeting, opposition sources said “ with the anti Tamil battle in Sri Lanka escalating with each passing day, he (Karunanidhi) is merely attempting to cover up for the Center’s inactivity over the matter.
“Why has the so called emergency meeting decided on a 10 day wait before traveling to Delhi, the Tamil cause may well be dead by then,” they added.
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