Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President M. Karunanidhi categorically stated that his party would not continue in the UPA alliance at the Centre if India does not “further strengthen” the US resolution against Sri Lanka before the UNHRC.
Karunanidhi told journalists that he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress leader Sonia Gandhi urging that India should take a “decisive lead in asking for an investigation into the war crimes by an international commission of inquiry” against the Sri Lankan army and the Government for the genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils.
This commission should submit its report in a time-bound manner and the perpetrators punished at the International Court of Justice.
In the copy of the letter released to the media, he said “it is foregone that India must vote with the US resolution and join the world in condemning the human rights abuses and violation of international humanitarian laws.”
But it is the DMK’s demand that the resolution be strong, he said.
Karunanidhi said he was “constrained” to write this letter in the context of volatile situation in the State and the feeling of injustice felt by the Tamil community to the “lukewarm” response of the Government. He was writing the letter “with immense mental agony and feeling of having been let down by the Government of India.”
Responding to questions, he said he had faxed the letters on Saturday night considering the urgent nature of the situation.
DMK’s stand comes in the back drop of the escalating protests in Tamil Nadu demanding strong action against Sri Lanka by India and the international community. Students in some of the colleges launched protests last week prompting the State authorities to close down arts and science colleges indefinitely.