Lanka issue: No breakthrough in Cong-Karunanidhi talks

The meeting was aimed at discussing Karunanidhi's letter to the PM

With the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) digging in its heels over the Sri Lankan issue, a worried United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on Monday sent three senior ministers —Finance Minister Chidambaram, Defence Minister A K Antony and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad — to Chennai to meet DMK chief Karunanidhi. The meeting, however, ended without any breakthrough.

The meeting began at around 6 pm at Karunanidhi’s house. After around two hours of closed-door discussions with DMK leaders, Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters the meeting was aimed at discussing Karunanidhi’s letter to the prime minister. He added the ministers would convey the details of the meeting to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Speaking to the press immediately after the meeting, Karunanidhi said the ministers had assured him the DMK’s demand would be turned into a resolution.

Earlier, the DMK had threatened to pull out of the UPA government if the Centre didn’t seek amendments in the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka, demanding a credible international investigation into the genocide in that country and punishment for those guilty of war crimes there.

Privately, senior Congress leaders said if the country’s foreign policy was decided by regional parties, it would be “dangerous.” Congress insiders say “it’s a tough situation” and hope the DMK chief “will see reason”. Earlier, the party had dismissed the DMK’s “threat”.

“We will be opening the floodgates for resolutions on a host of issues — from Jammu and Kashmir insurgency to the trouble in the Northeast,” said a senior minister. “As it is, the Trinamool Congress has marred our relations with Bangladesh. Now, DMK wants us to damage relations with Lanka and virtually hand over the neighbourhood to China. Giving in to state-specific demands will spell doom for us, like this,” the minister added.

Another Congress leader said though the DMK was a “difficult position” now, in terms of the ongoing 2G case, etc, it might think twice before pulling out of the UPA government. However, he added, “To send a message to its vote bank in Tamil Nadu, nothing prevents it from pulling out its five ministers from the government.”

Meanwhile, the DMK, along with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, (AIADMK) raised the issue during Zero Hour in Parliament on Monday. DMK’s Tiruchi Siva said, “The lukewarm response of the government of India to the plight of Tamilians is not healthy...I urge the government to not only support the resolution but also bring in effective amendments that are required to strengthen it.”

Earlier in the day, in a letter to the prime minister, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa said, “It is absolutely important that India takes a strong stand in support of the US-sponsored resolution at the 22nd session of the UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Council) and, more importantly, moves necessary independent amendments to further strengthen the resolution.”

To tackle demonstrations by students against Sri Lanka, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered all arts and science colleges closed. On Monday, 500 college students were arrested in Chennai for attempting to march to the governor’s house, protesting against Sri Lanka.