After pressing for India's intervention to bring about a ceasefire in Sri Lanka, the DMK government stepped back saying there were "limitations on discussing issues of another country".
After vehemently pressing for India's intervention to bring about a ceasefire in Sri Lanka, the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu on Thursday stepped back saying there were "limitations on discussing issues of another country".
"Cutting across party lines, we may share similar views (on ceasefire)... but there are limitations while dicussing the issues of another country," finance minister K Anbazhagan told the state assembly while replying to queries raised by members of various parties on the outcome of external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Colombo.
Chief minister M Karunanidhi had during the past few months pressured the UPA Government, of which the ruling DMK in the state is a key partner, to intervene and bring about a ceasefire and wanted Mukherjee to visit Colombo to prevail on Sri Lankan Government. The DMK chief is currently in a hospital recovering from back ache.
Anbazhagan, also the Leader of the House, read out the entire statement given by Mukherjee in Colombo on January 28 and pointed out to the commitment made by India to jointly work with Sri Lanka to ensure peaceful living conditions for the Tamils in the island.
He said Mukherjee had informed Karunanidhi that he was going to Sri Lanka as requested by the latter. Karunanidhi, who had led an all-party delegation to prime minister Manmohan Singh last month on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, was assured that Mukherjee would be sent to discuss the plight of Tamils.
"Different media may have given different interpretations of Mukherjee's statement but the central point is to stop killings of Tamils," Anbazhagan said.
Anbazhgan read out the statement by Mukherjee where India had "expressed its readiness" to participate in reconstruction of northern Sri Lanka and "lay the foundations of a strong peace in which all communities will feel comfortable."
Mukherjee, while saying he was "happy" on being informed at the progress made towards the establishment of the NTPC's 500 mw thermal power project at Triconamallee, had also said that Colombo had "reassured that they would respect the
safe zones and minimise the effect if conflict on Tamil civilians.
Anbazhagan also recalled portions of the statement, saying Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse had reminded him that he had extended a personal invitation to Karunanidhi and Opposition Leader J Jayalalithaa to visit his country and see
for themselves the situation on ground and "persuade the LTTE to lay down arms and join the mainstream."
Mukherjee had also said that India will join hands with all those working for an early restoration of normal democratic life in the areas affected by the conflict, as "it would be a major contribution towards peace and stability," Anbahagan said.
Sri Lanka had scrapped a tattered 2002 ceasefire with the LTTE in January last year and captured the last rebel stronghold of Mullattivu early this week.
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