India to vote for resolution against Sri Lanka, says PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said India was intending to vote in favour of the resolution on UNHCR on Sri Lanka.

The resolution should cover India's objectives to achieve a future for Lankan Tamils based on equality, dignity, justice and self respect.

The move will likely pacify the DMK who in an informal meeting of top leaders at party chief M Karunanidhi's residence on Sunday decided, in principle, to pull out ministers from the UPA government if the Centre did not accede to their demand that it support the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lankan war crimes before the UN Human Rights Council.

While most DMK leaders wanted the party to withdraw its ministers from the Manmohan Singh ministry on Tuesday and support the government from outside, Union minister M K Alagiri and some others felt that any such strong decision should be taken only after March 23 when the US resolution is put to vote.

The DMK leadership began their informal deliberations on Saturday at the party headquarters in the run-up to the crucial high level committee meeting on Tuesday. Karunanidhi, general secretary K Anbalagan, son M K Stalin and former minister Duraimurugan are understood to favour hard line.

Karunanidhi has been discussing the UN resolution with senior leaders. He has already prepared a draft resolution for DMK high level committee meeting on March 20, said a source. "If the Congress is not accepting DMK's demand then we would pull out our ministers from the Centre. Our resolution may reflect it. But we will give our support for the government from outside," said a senior member of the committee.

The DMK had earlier hinted at withdrawing its ministers from the Union government during the seat negotiations with the Congress in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu assembly elections last year when some of its leaders were facing charges in connection with the 2G Spectrum scam.

- Asian Tribune -

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