The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Tuesday pulled out of the UPA Government over the issue of alleged human rights violations of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Addressing media here, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi said: “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.”
“We totally support the revolution in Sri Lanka and the rights of the Tamils, we have fought for their rights,” he added.
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.
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.
Union Ministers P Chidambaram, A K Antony and Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday met Karunanidhi who had threatened to pull out DMK ministers and quit the UPA coalition if Government failed to move the amendments at the United Nation Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on March 21.
The U.S.-sponsored motion puts the island nation in the 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. (ANI)