21 March 2013-Congress Party President and India’s ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi(pic) today demanded an “independent and credible” inquiry into the violation of human rights in Sri Lanka.
However, she refused to comment on key UPA ally DMK withdrawing support to the government at the Centre. Voicing her pain and anguish over the “denial of legitimate political rights” to Sri Lankan Tamils, Ms Gandhi dwelt at length on the issue at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting here.
Gandhi’s remarks on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue came ahead of DMK’s announcement withdrawing support to UPA. “I have nothing to say now,” Gandhi said when asked later about DMK’s pull-out.
“The plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka is close to our hearts. Our support for equal rights and equal protection of the laws to them has been unwavering since the days of Indiraji (former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) and Rajivji (Rajiv Gandhi).
“We are most pained at the manner in which their legitimate political rights continue to be denied to them. We are anguished by reports of unspeakable atrocities on innocent civilians and children, especially during the last days of the conflict in 2009,” she said in her four-page speech.
Maintaining that reports of atrocities in Sri Lanka cannot go un-investigated, Gandhi said, “That is why we demand for an independent and credible inquiry into the violation of human rights in Sri Lanka.” This is the strongest statement to date by India’s most powerful woman on the Sri Lankan Tamils’ plight.
She also said that the plight of Indian fishermen, who are being detained or fired upon by the Sri Lankan navy is a matter of great concern. “A permanent solution to the daily violence against them is also imperative,” Gandhi said.
