Italy's decision not to send its two marines to India is unacceptable: PM
New Delhi, Mar. 12 : The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday said Italy's decision not to send two marines charged with the killing of two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala last year back is unacceptable.
Dr. Singh, who reacted sharply to the Italian Government's decision, told Left MPs from Kerala that he will ask External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to take up the issue with Italy.
Khurshid today made it clear that India will respond only after going through Italy's response, after Italian Foreign Ministry made it clear that the marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen would not return to India when their court-allowed leave ends this month.
"We will take a decision after reading what they have written. Reading the letter, no point in commenting without reading what they have to say," he said.
The two Italian marines, Salvatore Latorre and Massimiliano Girone, charged with homicide for killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February 2012 after mistaking them for pirates, were permitted by the Supreme Court to go to Italy for four weeks to vote in last month's election.
The duo was allowed to go home during Christmas. They returned to India on the expiry of their leave.