Stating that further continuance in the Central government would do great harm to the Tamil race, the DMK on Tuesday pulled out of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and ruled out any outside support to it. However, party chief M Karunanidhi said he was willing to “reconsider” the decision if the Centre immediately brought a resolution in Parliament with specific amendments that the party had sought for in the US draft on the Sri Lankan issue.
Speaking to reporters, Karunanidhi said when the genocide perpetrated by the Rajapaksa government in Sri Lanka had become a talking point among nations, India, which prides itself as being the largest democracy, staying aloof in the matter was anti-democratic. “Without realising the gravity of the situation and its consequences, staying aloof or putting out contradictory statements was an anti-democratic move that would sabotage the nonviolent struggles of Mahatma Gandhi and Chelvanayakam of Sri Lanka,” he pointed out.
Karunanidhi said the party expected the Indian government to deal with the issue with tenets of justice in mind and make decisions that would bring joy to people of all nations. “But, India too opened the door for undemocratic activities which no Tamil with self-respect could accept,” he said.
Apart from letting the US draft in the United Nations Human Rights Council get watered down, the Centre also did not consider any of the amendments that the DMK had proposed. “Given that a situation which has no use for the Lankan Tamils has been created, the DMK continuing in the Centre would be a great harm done to the Tamil race. So the party has decided to pull out... immediately,” said Karunanidhi. The decision to quit the UPA came close on the heels of a meeting between Karunanidhi and three ministers on Monday.
