Under attack from all quarters over the Italian marines issue, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and put the onus on the Centre to bring back the marines.
Making it clear that his government was not ready for a compromise, Chandy said the Centre must ensure that the marines face trial in India as per the country’s law. “There will be no compromise on this issue. The marines should be tried under Indian laws. Diplomatic status should not be used as a weapon to cheat another nation’s apex judiciary. No nation can agree with it. World will stand by India.... That is why I am telling that Italy’s stand is a diplomatic tragedy,” he said, after meeting the Prime Minister.
Chandy also submitted a two-page letter to Manmohan, detailing the case. In it, he demanded that the Centre take steps to ensure that the marines would be put on trial as per the Indian laws. He wanted the Centre to set up special courts at the earliest. The letter asked the government to move the Supreme Court for cancelling the bail application of the two marines in case they do not return before March 23.
He said it was not just Kerala’s issue, but a question of the country’s “prestige and sovereignty” and wanted the Centre to act at the earliest. Indirectly blaming the Centre for mismanaging the whole issue, Chandy said Kerala had opposed the marines’ plea for Christmas vacation.
Asked if it was the Centre’s responsibility to bring them back, Chandy minced no words: “What is the doubt in it?”
Reacting to a question whether the Supreme Court “erred” in allowing the marines to go home to cast their votes, he said he was not going to find any fault. What next is the specific agenda, he said.
Earlier, Chandy discussed the issue with Sonia. He also met Rahul Gandhi along with KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala.
Chandy also met the state’s legal counsels here. “He wanted to know whether Kerala can independently take legal action,” said a source.
It is learnt that Chandy has been advised to wait and watch till March 23.