New Delhi: DMK on Thursday made an impassioned plea
in the Lok Sabha for settling problems of Sri Lankan Tamils
and urged the government to take steps in the global forum to
bring all human rights violators to justice.
Initiating the discussion on steps taken by India for
relief and rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils, DMK member TR
Baalu described in detail the "atrocities" against ethnic
Tamils in the island nation.
He lamented that the Government of India had not taken
enough steps to protect the interests of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
"Indian Tamils felt that the mighty Government of India
will come forward to see that the killings of Sri Lankan
Tamils is stopped," Baalu said.
The DMK member said there were expectations that India
would take action as it did in the case of the then East
Pakistan by supporting Mukti Bahini.
Baalu accused the military and civilian leadership in the
island nation of heaping atrocities on the ethnic Tamil
population.
"Hospitals and schools were shelled, children were
butchered, women were raped under the nose of a Gandhian
state," he said.
On several occasions, Speaker Meira Kumar asked Baalu not
to make any reference to the leadership of the neighbouring
country.
"We have close and friendly relation with the neighbouring
country. Please see that nothing affects out relations with
other countries. You are a senior member," she said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, August 25, 2011, 15:31