T.R. Baalu rules out reconsideration after DMK pull out from UPA
New Delhi, Mar. 20 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader T.R. Baalu on Wednesday made it absolutely clear that his party would not reconsider the decision to withdraw support to the ruling UPA coalition, saying people have miserably let down us.
An upset Baalu said the Government of India should go before the NHRC and see that the perpetrators of the war crimes and those who are responsible for this genocide should be punished by international court.
"People have miserably let down us. That is what my leader as well as we feel," Baalu said.
"As far as the Sri Lanka issue is concerned, many a times my leader by letters, by deputing his own ministers to the Prime Minister, by sending all the Members of Parliament to the Prime Minister and Madam Soniaji and even we went up to the UNO. Dr. Stalin led a delegation only for the purpose of alleviating the problems of the Sri Lankan human rights issue. He went up to the UNO as well as the UNHRC," he added.
Baalu, however, said the DMK supremo would take a final call on the future course of action.
"Each and every time whenever the necessity arises, my leader will advise me how to go about in Parliament," he said.
Baalu further said all the five leaders have handed over the letter of resignation to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh as instructed by Karunanidhi.
DMK Secretary T. K. S. Elangovan earlier in the day said that the Central Government has been delaying its view on the issue, forcing the DMK to withdraw support.
"I think it is too late. Even in the US, UN, HRC meeting they cannot present a change in the resolution. They have to convince about 47 countries who are the members; so this should have happened earlier," said Elangovan.
" Last week or ten days back when discussion was held in the parliament and we were demanding the minister to come out with a reply. He should have told that we will do certain things," he added.
The DMK on Tuesday withdrew its support to the UPA over the issue of alleged human rights violations of Sri Lankan Tamils, and ruled out any reconsideration.
A five-member DMK delegation headed by Baalu handed over a letter by party supremo M. Karunanidhi to President Pranab Mukherjee at 10.30 p.m. at Rashtrapati Bhavan withdrawing support of its 18 Lok Sabha MPs to the UPA government.
This move of the DMK has made the UPA Government vulnerable despite its assertions of having a parliamentary majority. The ruling coalition will now eye for support from the regional parties, which includes the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party.
With the pullout of the 18 DMK MPs in the Lok Sabha, the strength of the UPA Government declines from 295 to 277 in the Rajya Sabha.
Karunanidhi had earlier on Tuesday said the DMK continuing to support the Central Government under these circumstances is impossible.
" Even if the LTTE is vanquished, our support for the fight of Tamil freedom and human rights is not over," said Karunanidhi, while addressing the media yesterday in Chennai.
"We totally support the revolution in Sri Lanka and the rights of the Tamils, we have fought for their rights," he added.
The DMK has also ruled out any question of giving outside support, but said it might consider changing its stand based on the government's stand.
"If the Parliament passes a resolution before the vote in UNHRC, we might change our stand," Karunanidhi said.
Karunanidhi had earlier said India should strongly urge the establishment of a credible and independent international commission of investigation into the allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law and genocide against the Tamil people.
The U.S.-sponsored motion puts the island nation in dock over alleged war crimes and rights violations against Tamil civilians during the final phase of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The resolution is moved by the US for the second time. Last year, India had supported a similar resolution.