Chennai: Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram slammed BJP for not supporting the UPA government’s efforts to pass a resolution in Parliament on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and rejected accusations hurled at Congress that it did not “support” the cause.
Addressing a public meeting here, Chidambaram explained the initiatives the Congress took for passing a resolution in Parliament. The government convened an all-party meet to discuss the issue, but BJP, Left Parties, Janata Dal, Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, Telugu Desam opposed a passage of resolution.
“When we were trying to pass a resolution, BJP Parliamentary Party Leader Sushma Swaraj said there was no necessity to discuss it and there is no need to conduct an all-party meet. Friends, you should understand that there is only one party in New Delhi which is ready to pass a resolution in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. If BJP or some other party was in power (at New Delhi), what would have happened?” he asked during his 90-minute speech.
Chidambaram, who outlined the talks Congress held with DMK on the issue, charged that the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu were trying to make Congress a “scapegoat” over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.
“I strongly condemn your statement that Congress is not in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. I respect DMK for supporting the Sri Lankan Tamils. I support the AIADMK. But, I strongly object that Congress is not in support of the Tamils in Sri Lanka”, he asserted. Continuing his tirade against the BJP for appointing Amit Shah, a former Gujarat Home Minister and close aide of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, as its general secretary, Chidambaram asked how he had been selected when he was allegedly involved in an encounter case.
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