India should boycott CHOGM completely: TN Assembly resolution

Expressing anguish over India's decision to participate in the upcoming CHOGM in Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Assembly today passed a resolution at its emergent session demanding "complete boycott" of the summit, as Congress and two other parties kept away from voting.

The resolution moved by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was passed by voice vote even as Congress, Puthiya Tamizhagam and CPI-M members were not present while the PMK chose to boycott the session.

The session was convened in the backdrop of Centre's decision to depute a delegation-led by External Affairs Minister Salman Kurshid to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

This was in contrast to the unanimity displayed by the House on October 24 when it passed a similar resolution calling for India's total boycott of the summit over alleged the "genocide" of Tamils in Sri Lanka and its failure to grant them equal rights.

While Congress members defended the Centre's decision saying the Prime Minister had decided not to attend the meet taking into consideration sentiments of the Tamils, CPI-M took the stand that there was no need for a separate resolution, since the earlier resolution itself was sufficient.

Today's resolution comes on the eve of Foreign Ministers-level meeting slated for tomorrow in Colombo ahead of CHOGM beginning from November 15, urging that the delegation led by Khurshid should stay away.

Reiterating last month's resolution, Jayalalithaa pointed out "in total contradiction to these demands, the Centre has announced that an Indian delegation led by External Affairs Minister would attend the CHOGM while the Prime Minister would keep away from the meet.

"But in total contradiction to these demands, the Centre has announced that an Indian delegation led by External Affairs Minister would attend CHOGM. The Assembly expresses its deep regret to this. The Centre's decision, which does not console the Tamils and respect their sentiments is an act of causing deep pain," the resolution read.