New Delhi:
Congress ministers Kamal Nath, P Chidambaram and Manish Tewari held a press conference today to explain the government's stand on the UN resolution against Sri Lanka and the withdrawal of the DMK from the government.
Here are the highlights of what they said:
At a press conference this morning, Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced that India has decided to move amendments to the UN resolution against Sri Lanka.
He also said that the government is continuing consultations with other political parties to introduce a parliamentary resolution on Sri Lanka.
Amendments in Geneva and a parliamentary resolution had been listed by DMK chief M Karunanidhi as pre-conditions to a possible return to the UPA fold.
But last night, the party delivered a letter to the President withdrawing support to the UPA. Three of the DMK's five ministers have met the PM today and handed in their resignation letters.
The DMK denies that it is open to reconciliation with the UPA. "There is no window. It has grills," said party spokesperson TKS Elangovan.
"The government is neither lame, nor is it a duck," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, "we are absolutely stable." He added, "No party has challenged our majority."
The BJP has said it cannot support a parliamentary resolution that names Sri Lanka because it would amount to interference in another country's internal affairs.
The government accepted that another major ally, Mr Sharad Pawar , has reservations about a country-specific resolution being adopted by India. "That is why we are busy with consultations," said Mr Kamal Nath.
Mr Chidambaram said that it is a "canard that India diluted the resolution sponsored by the US," a charge levelled both by the DMK and NGOs.
Mr Chidambaram said, "India's position has always been that UN should adopt a strong resolution to goad Sri Lanka to accept an independent investigation."
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