Tamil Nadu wants total Lanka boycott

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution unanimously urging that India must totally boycott the CHOGM in Colombo and none from India should participate even as a token gesture. The resolution moved by chief minister J. Jayalalithaa was passed late evening at a special session of the House convened for just this purpose. Sources said CM took personal interest in getting the session convened.

The resolution, which was supported by all major parties, including the DMK and the DMDK, said the decision taken by the Government of India to send foreign minister Salman Khurshid in the place of Prime Minister was “a deeply distressing act” as it neither offered solace to the Tamils nor respected their sentiments. By participating in CHOGM, India would place itself in a position seen as accepting and even endorsing the inhuman acts and offences against humanity committed by the Sri Lankan government, the resolution said.

Also read: Khurshid justifies India's presence in CHOGM

Further, India would be subjected to the ignominy of backing the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa becoming the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office for two years. “Tamils cannot accept or bear the thought of India being subjected to such an ignominy”, the resolution said.

Following the resolution, Jayalalithaa shot off yet another strong letter to the Prime Minister expressing anguish at his decision to send a delegation led by Khurshid to CHOGM.

PM’s decision no solace: Jaya

In an emotional speech delivered before the sta­te assembly at the spe­cial session convened on Tuesday evening before passing the unanimous resolution, chief minister J. Jayalalithaa said that the Prime Min­is­ter’s decision of not personally attending the CHOGM summit and instead sending a delegation headed by the external affairs minister gave no solace to the Tamils.

The chief minister pointed out that during the last 10 Comm­on­w­ealth meetings held since 1993, the Indian Prime Minister has only participated in five of the summits and had sent his representatives instead for the other five events.

“Considering that fact, the decision taken by the Central government to send the external affairs minister is a common one and does not indicate a decision taken to pacify Tamils or one taken to respect the feelings of Tamils. The Central government’s decision has cau­sed a lot of heart ache and by participating in this event, India accepts and endorses the Sri Lankan government’s inhuman acts and its gross violation of hu­man rights,” Jayala­lit­haa said.

She added that even four years after the war ended, the ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka do not have any rights and that they are still closely monitored by the Sri Lankan army.”

“Lankan Tamils who were displaced from their homeland during the war continue to re­main displaced and continue to suffer from a plet­hora of problems," the chief minister said.

Jayalalithaa also poi­nted out that with so many facts out on Sri Lanka’s inhuman treatment of Tamils, India’s participation in the Commonwealth summit is akin to providing protection to a government that committed hienous war crimes. 
“Besides, by participating in the event India would also be forced support Rajapaksa’s elevation as the chair-in-office of the Comm­onwealth group of nat­ions and earn disrepute for the act,” she said.

Next: Congress defends Centre’s move

Congress defends Centre’s move

Chennai: Reacting to the CM’s spe­ech in the Assembly before passing the unanimous resolution urging India to totally boycott CHOGM to be held in Colombo shortly, Congress MLA from Pattukottai N.R. Reng­arajan said the PM’s decision to skip the summitwas taken considering the sentiments of Tamils and to pacify them.

“The UPA government has allotted '4,500 crore for relief and rehabilitation efforts in Lanka and has been building hospitals, schools and other infrastructure facilities in the island nation solely for the purpose of helping ethnic Tamils to cope with life after war. If we abstain from engaging with Sri Lanka, who will fight for the cause of Tamils the­re?” asked Rengarajan re­p­r­esenting TN Congress.

The MLA also pointed out that it was the result of efforts made by the Prime Minister and the Congress -led government that elections were held in Tamil areas after so many years and that a Tamilian was elected as a chief minister.
“Without efforts made by the government of India, these milestones would not have been possible,” Rengarajan said.
Leader of the DMK in the Legislative Assembly M.K. Stalin said the heinous war crimes committed against Tamils in Sri Lanka was unprecedented and a gross human rights violation and that the state should pressurise the Central government to penalise Sri Lanka for their acts during the war.

“The DMK party will support and endorse any decision taken by the state government in this regard,” he said.

Among the other party leaders who reacted to the resolution, DMDK MLA Chandhirakumar VC said Sri Lanka should be expelled from the Com­monwealth group of nations for the atrocities committed against Tamils and the party was among the forerunners in fighting for Tamil cause in the island nation.