Congress for political settlement of Lankan Tamils' ethnic problem

With India and Sri Lanka discussing the issue of rehabilitation of displaced Tamils, the ruling Congress today demanded that the ethnic problem should be settled politically.

"The prime minister has raised the issue of rehabilitation of the internally displaced Tamils in Sri Lanka strongly (during his talks with visiting Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa)," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters here.

"There should be devolution of powers to Tamils and there should be a political settlement to the problem (of ethnic strife). We are demanding that they (Sri Lanka) do all these things," she said.

Natarjan parried a query about the allegation of the misuse of funds collected from donors to help last year's flood victims in Karnataka saying she has no idea about who is responsible for it and the the question should be asked to the AICC in-charge for the state.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka unit of Congress today said it has constituted an inquiry committee to look into allegations of misuse of funds and a report would be sent to the party high command on the issue, which has been raised by the ruling BJP and opposition JD(S).

Asked about the issue of black money in Swiss banks, Natarajan said she is confident that the government will take a call on it.