India must back US resolution on Sri Lanka: DMK

Chennai: The DMK on Wednesday again asked the Indian government to support a US-sponsored resolution at a UN body attacking Sri Lanka's human rights record.

New Delhi should throw its weight behind the resolution introduced at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva as it was backed by 30 other countries, DMK president M Karunanidhi said. He accused "some people" of trying to muddle the waters by criticizing the resolution.

Referring to Sri Lanka's rejection of India's suggestion to have a dialogue with the US, Karunanidhi wondered how New Delhi believed Colombo would accept the idea.

Karunanidhi said it was distressing to hear India calling Sri Lanka a friendly nation even after it \"insulted\" leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi.

Karunanidhi said it was distressing to hear India calling Sri Lanka a friendly nation even after it "insulted" leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi. The Indian government has refused to take a categorical stand thus far on the Geneva resolution, saying it was waiting for the final draft.

Last year, India voted with the US on a similar resolution pulling up Sri Lanka for rights abuses. The vote led to a chill in India-Sri Lanka ties. The Sri Lankan military has been charged with killing scores of Tamil civilians during the end stages of the war that destroyed the Tamil Tigers in May 2009.

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