Patil’s no mention of Lanka resolution dismays DMK

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(Srilankamirror) – India’s DMK party has expressed dismay over the absence of any mention of plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka in president Pratibha Patil’s address to Parliament today (Mar. 12).

DMK leader T. R. Baalu told reporters after the President’s address that India should support the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka.

“There was no mention of the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka…there was no mention of the ongoing discussions on the human rights violations in Sri Lanka,” he said.

When asked whether DMK would support the idea of India abstaining on the resolution, he said his party will not support anything “short” of supporting the resolution, PTI reports.

Baalu urged the government to vote in favour of the United States-backed resolution at the UNHRC session in Geneva.

The DMK, a UPA ally, raised slogans at the start of the President’s address on the first day of business in the Indian Parliament this year, seeking that India vote against Sri Lanka on a resolution in Geneva.

It was president Patil’s last address to Parliament before she completes her term in July.

Ironically, while she appealed to the members to work together “in a spirit of constructive cooperation” to discharge business in the two Houses of Parliament in this session, her own speech was disrupted five times.

Towards the end of Patil’s Address, the same issue was flagged by AIADMK member V Maitreyan.

President Patil waved at him asking him to take his seat.