Rift within parties over SL resolution
Division among political parties on bringing a resolution on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue in Parliament is clearly perceptible at least on Tuesday .This is at a time when the crisis managers of the government are said to be working on it in a last ditch attempt to mollify the DMK.
While the main Opposition BJP is refusing to open its card on this issue, the BJD, AIADMK and others are opposing this option.
Even DMK insiders viewed this is not possible. The party has made up its mind to quit the UPA.
Union ministers are privately opposing the very idea.
“It would not pass in the Rajya Sabha for the simple reason that the UPA is in minority while in the Lok Sabha it cannot pass unanimously,” they pointed out.
“We don’t have a draft of the proposed resolution, the business advisory committee meeting has not been called and there is no communication about an all party meeting,” a senior Opposition leader said while drawing attention to media speculation.
Meanwhile, top Congress leaders held a series of meetings to discuss a way out before the deadline of Thursday set by the ally expires.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a meeting for more than 90-minutes with defence minister A.K. Antony, finance minister P. Chidambaram and external affairs minister Salman Khurshid to discuss the situation after the DMK withdrew its support.
No decision has been taken on anything, Mr Khurshid told reporters after the meeting when asked if the government had taken any decision on the resolution on Sri Lanka. Sources said the government is drafting a resolution to be brought in Parliament.
Mr Chidambaram said the Congress Core Group, headed by party chief Sonia Gandhi, had considered the two suggestions made by DMK at length.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party is refusing to spell out its stand on a resolution on the Sri Lankan issue.
Asked about the BJP’s position, its senior leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said, “This issue is a matter of foreign policy. The government has to decide. Let them make their stand clear.”
Asked if there is any resolution in the offing, Mr Naidu said, “What resolution? Where? In politics you should not answer any ifs and buts. First let us know the government position. Then ask the Opposition.”
He further said, “India does not interfere in the internal affairs of another country.”
The main Opposition, however, was on the same page with the government on a resolution on Tamils in Sri Lanka being different from the recent resolution against Pakistan Parliament which had demanded that the body of Afzal Guru be handed over to his family.
Mr Naidu said since Pakistan Parliament had passed a resolution demanding that Guru’s body be returned to his family, this prompted our Parliament to condemn it.
Senior BJD MP B. Mahtab expressed himself against such a resolution.
He contended that when Parliament has condemned the Pakistan National Assembly resolution on Afzal Guru, accusing it of interfering in India’s internal affairs, how could such a resolution on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue be taken up.
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