Chennai: The Centre today assured Tamil Nadu
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa that it will take into account
her opinion on unannounced visits by Sri Lankan VIPs to the
state, saying it will take the matter "seriously".
"We are a federal state, we have the greatest respect for
states. Whatever is the assessment of the state governments,
we will take it seriously but we will see how we can reconcile
the issue," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said.
"I would like to assure the Chief Minister that her
opinion will certainly be factored in the decision we are
going to take," he told reporters here en-route to Singapore.
Jayalalithaa had yesterday written to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh asking him to discourage unannounced visits of
Sri Lankan dignitaries to the state, saying the people were
"greatly exercised" over the Lankan government`s conduct on
the Tamils issue.
She had said the Sri Lankan VIPs be allowed to the state
only after consulting the state government.
On the demand from parties including AIADMK and Congress`
ally DMK that the Centre back a US-sponsored resolution
against Colombo in the ongoing session of United Nations Human
Rights Council (UNHCR) over alleged war crimes, he said New
Delhi will consider every aspect before taking a final stand.
"Well, we will certainly take into account overall
relationship between India and Sri Lanka and the sentiments in
our country (Tamil Nadu). We will take every factor into
consideration before taking a final call," Krishna said.
India is providing a number of humanitarian aids to the
internally displaced "Tamil-speaking brothers and sisters" in
the island nation, Krishna said, adding that he himself had
seen renovation of schools and other works undertaken by it.
On India rejecting the visa application of a Japanese
national who was to share her experience about the Fukushima
nuclear disaster, he said it was the prerogative of the
government to decide on such matters.
Maya Kobayashi, a survivor of Fukushima nuclear tragedy,
was due to visit India on the invitation of Greenpeace
Foundation to share her experience with communities living
close to the proposed nuclear power plants, but denied visa
after a "mismatch" was detected in her travel document and
purpose of visit.
PTI
