Finance Minister P Chidambaram, addressed a press conference, reminding the audience of the measures taken by the government on the resolution against Sri Lanka for its alleged war crimes against Tamils in the final stages of the 2009 civil war.
This conference came a day after UPA ally the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) quit the United Progressive Alliance.
We intend to move amendments to the draft resolution on Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the finance minister said.
The DMK had urged government to move a resolution taking a strong position against Sri Lanka in Parliament.
Chidambaram said that the amendments in the draft of the resolution were finalised yesterday and that the plight of the Tamils was close to the UPA government's heart.
DMK was aware of government's position on UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka but changed its mind between the night of March 18 and the morning of March 19, charged Chidambaram.
Chidambaram denied that India was working with US to dilute the resolution against Sri Lanka, describing it as a canard.
India's position is that UNHRC should adopt a strong resolution on Sri Lanka, Chidambaram said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said that the government was "absolutely stable" after the DMK pulled out on Tuesday morning, denying that it was a lame duck.
The minister said that the government was ready for any test of strength on the floor of the house.
In democracy, doors and windows are always kept open, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said on the prospects of new allies.
No one has challenged the majority of the government in Parliament or outside it, Nath said.
The government is confident of "enough support" in Parliament to pass economic reforms bills, said Chidambaram.
There is no political uncertainty, Chidambaram assured the mediapersons.
PTI reports:
Unfazed by the DMK's withdrawal of support to the UPA, Government today asserted it was "absolutely stable" and not a "lame duck" and said it will move amendments to the resolution on Sri Lanka at UNHRC to send a "resolute message" on that country's human rights.
The government fielded three senior ministers -- P Chidambaram, Kamal Nath and Manish Tewari -- before the media to insist that DMK's demands were in the process of being considered and wondered why the ally changed its position after promising to reconsider its decision to withdraw support. The UPA's second biggest constituent with 18 Lok Sabha MPs quit the alliance yesterday.
With questions being raised about the stability of the government, Kamal Nath, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, firmly said, "We are not a lame duck government." "The government is neither lame nor is it a duck. We are absolutely stable. No political party has come out to challenge our majority," he said.
Stating that India wanted the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to adopt a "strong" resolution on Sri Lanka, Chidambaram said India will move amendments to the draft to send a "resolute message" to that country on alleged human rights violations of Tamils and "goad" it to have an independent inquiry, a key demand of the DMK.
The Finance Minister also dismissed allegations that India had sought dilution of the strongly-worded resolution by the US, saying it was an absolute "canard".
He said DMK's other demand for a resolution to be adopted by Parliament on Sri Lankan Tamils issue was also in the process of consultations with other parties.
Chidambaram claimed that the DMK was aware of the government's position on the issue but had changed its position between the night of March 18 and morning of March 19.
"We are not aware of the reasons why the DMK changed its position between the night of March 18 and the morning of March 19," Chidambaram said, while noting that DMK supremo M Karunanidhi had said the party would reconsider decision to withdraw support if Parliament adopts a resolution before the end of current sittings on March 22.
At the same time, the three ministers asserted that there was no threat to the government despite DMK's pull out.
"Just because one ally pulled out, the government has not become weak... There is no political instability or political uncertainty... Nobody has questioned our stability except for few voices in the media," Chidambaram said.
Asked whether the government will test its stability by going in for Confidence Motion, the ministers rejected any such possibility. "The question does not arise as we have the majority," Chidambaram said.
