India’s Finance Minister hits at opposition over resolution against SL

India’s Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said that no political party, including the main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported the resolution against Sri Lanka in the Indian Parliament, other than the Congress Party.

Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in 2009, in the final months of a war that began in 1983, a UN panel said, as Government troops advanced on the last stronghold of the rebels fighting for an independent homeland.

Civilians were killed in the final months of the war that began in 1983, as Government troops advanced on the last stronghold of the Tamil Tiger rebels fighting for an independent homeland, a UN panel had said.

Addressing an event in Chennai city of southern India’s Tamil Nadu State recently, Chidambaram boasted of the Congress Party’s commitment to raise voice against the 2009 genocide by Sri Lanka.

“It is Congress Party that supported the resolution against Sri Lanka in the Indian Parliament, the AIADMK and DMK supported it because they belong to Tamil Nadu. No other party in the Parliament supported the resolution; the people of Tamil Nadu must understand it.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not support it. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, completely rejected it and was against the all party meet on the issue,” said Chidambaram.

Recently, the United Nations urged Sri Lanka in a resolution to carry out credible investigations into killings and disappearances during its nearly 30-year civil war, especially in the brutal final stages in 2009.

It voiced concern at reports of continuing violations including killings, torture, curbs on the right to freedom of expression, and reprisals against activists and journalists. (Reuters)