Chennai: Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday night slammed BJP for not supporting the UPA government's efforts to pass a resolution in Parliament on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and rejected accusations hurled at Congress that it did not "support" the cause. Addressing a public meeting in Chennai, Chidambaram explained the initiatives the Congress took for passing a resolution in Parliament.
The government convened an all-party meet to discuss the issue, but BJP, Left Parties, Janata Dal, Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, Telugu Desam opposed a passage of resolution. "When we were trying to pass a resolution, BJP Parliamentary Party Leader Sushma Swaraj said there was no necessity to discuss it and there is no need to conduct an all-party meet. Friends, you should understand that there is only one party in New Delhi which is ready to pass a resolution in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. If BJP or some other party was in power (at New Delhi), what would have happened?" he asked during his 90-minute speech.
Chidambaram, who outlined the talks Congress held with DMK on the issue, charged that the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu were trying to make Congress a "scapegoat" over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. "I strongly condemn your statement that Congress is not in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. I respect DMK for supporting the Sri Lankan Tamils. I support the AIADMK. But, I strongly object that Congress is not in support of the Tamils in Sri Lanka", he asserted.
12:27 AM, Apr 08, 2013
MDMK chief Vaiko on Saturday requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to adopt a resolution in the state Assembly on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, similar to the one adopted two years ago. ... 
United Progressive Alliance's estranged ally Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday sprang a surprise by promising to support the Centre on whatever stand it took on Sri Lankan Tamils issue at the UNHRC. ... 
Protests by students on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue continued across Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, with law students mainly in the fray. About 40 students of Dr Ambedkar Law University and Dr Ambedkar Government Law College here continued with their fast, demanding an independent probe against Colombo for alleged war crimes besides stressing for separate Eelam (homeland for Tamils). ... 
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Saturday questioned whether AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa was qualified to criticise DMK on the Lankan Tamils issue when the party has taken several initiatives in their interests. Writing in his party organ "Murasoli", Karunanidhi said he wondered on what basis Jayalalithaa would ask him to tender a 'public apology' on the matter and listed the various steps taken by his party for the... 
