Zee Media Bureau/Deepak Nagpal
Chennai: Tamil Nadu on Thursday asked the Central government to boycott next week’s Commonwealth meet in Sri Lanka.
The state Legislative Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution, which was moved by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, calling on the Centre to "completely" boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The resolution also demanded the Centre to seek "temporary suspension" of Sri Lanka from CHOGM till the island nation gives equal status to Tamils living there.
Jayalalithaa has been asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to boycott the CHOGM summit to protest “violation of human rights of Tamils there”.
Earlier this month, the Tamil Nadu CM had even written a letter to the in which she said: "I wish to reiterate Tamil Nadu`s view that India should not participate in the CHOGM hosted by Sri Lanka at any level - titular, ministerial or official.
"Only such an action will convey India`s unequivocal stand that it will not tolerate the violation of human rights of the Sri Lankan Tamil minority," she said.
"I hope you will respect the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu and unanimous view across party lines and convey India`s decision to stay away from the CHOGM at Colombo in November 2013," Jayalalithaa added.
Jayalalithaa says the Sri Lankan government is responsible for committing war crimes and human rights abuses against the Tamils and that it should be boycotted.
"Against this background, the participation of India in this event will amount to an endorsement of these excesses," she said. "Such participation will not only embolden the Sri Lankan regime but will also incense public opinion and sentiment in Tamil Nadu on this very sensitive issue even further."
The PM, too, had written to DMK president M Karunanidhi this month assuring the decision on attending CHOGM will be taken based on all relevant factors and will include the sentiments of the DMK and the Tamil people.
