Congress downplay's Chidambaram's remark on Lanka issue

They said that though Chidambaram was entitled to his view, the party was entitled to disagree with it

Congress today downplayed Finance Minister P Chidambaram's remark that India should have supported the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka.

"He is certainly entitled to that view and we understand that he is from Tamil Nadu. Equally, Congress, on a national perspective is entitled to agree to disagree with it", party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said when his reaction was sought over the issue.

Chidambaram said in Chennai that New Delhi should have supported the resolution.

"It is my personal opinion. Twenty three countries had supported it and we also should have supported even if it was a watered down one," he told reporters here.

The decision could have been taken by officials in the External Affairs Ministry, Chidambaram, who hails from Tamil Nadu where the ethnic conflict involving minority Tamils in Sri Lanka has an emotional appeal, said.

He pointed out that there was no consensus among political parties in the state over this issue.

On Thursday, India had abstained from voting in the US-sponsored resolution at UNHRC, saying it imposes an "intrusive approach" of international investigative mechanism which was counter-productive, apart from being "inconsistent and impractical".