Pushed to the corner by its political rivals in Tamil Nadu over India’s abstention on the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, the UPA government on Friday justified its stand by saying that its action was driven by the well-being of the Sri Lankan Tamils as also of the fishermen community of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. But senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram in Chennai had said that India should have voted in favour of the resolution along with the other 23 countries. But that was brushed aside by his party, which said that he was entitled to his opinion.
Foreign secretary Sujatha Singh said, “We believe that our abstention on Thursday is in the best interest of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and will assist us in our efforts to help them.” She said that the country’s position is in tune with the consistent long-held view that the national re-conciliation process in Sri Lanka should be expedited in a way that meets the aspirations of the island nation’s Tamils for a “life of equality, justice, peace and dignity within a united Sri Lanka”.
She emphasised that the international community has to work with the government of Sri Lanka.
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Abstention in Tamil interest: Centre
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