NEW DELHI: The government was put on the mat by its own ally in Parliament on the first day of the Budget session on Tuesday, as DMK joined hands with AIADMK to disrupt proceedings and demand that India support a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution against alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka. The Rajya Sabha was forced to adjourn for the day without any transaction.
At 11 am, as soon as both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha convened for question hour, MPs from the DMK and AIADMK immediately shouted that the Sri Lanka matter be discussed urgently and demanded suspension of normal legislative work.
The US, Norway and Britain have floated a draft resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, asking it to implement suggestions of the LLRC (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission), as well as conduct a UN inquiry into war crimes committed in the last days of the civil war. Emotions were charged as the issue gained urgent attention when two days ago, a video clip—part of a documentary by Britain’s reputed Channel 4—showed the body of the 12-year-old son of LTTE leader V Prabhakaran ridden with bullets experts claimed were shot from close range.
T R Baalu led the DMK brigade pointing out that he had given a notice under section 193 for urgent discussion. “The Government of India should support the US-backed Resolution against Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Council,” asserted Baalu.
The Lok Sabha went back to work, but the Rajya Sabha was eventually adjourned for the day, with the DMK and AIADMK MPs insisting on discussing the Sri Lanka issue saying it was to be voted in Geneva in two days.
AIADMK’s V Maitreyan demanded that the Prime Minister, present in the House, answer whether India would support the US-backed resolution.