CHOGM boycott: DMK to support TN Assembly resolution

November 12, 2013 01:19 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 08:01 pm IST - CHENNAI

DMK chief M. Karunanidhi

DMK chief M. Karunanidhi

DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday said his party would support the proposed private member's resolution in the special session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly against the India’s participation in the Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting (CHOGM) at Colombo even if it was a strong indictment of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre.

“We think it’s our duty to support the resolution as it will be of great help to the Sri Lankan Tamils, who have been languishing as helpless orphans,” he told reporters after a meeting of DMK MLAs convened to discuss the party’s position on the Assembly resolution.

Mr. Karunanidhi said though the DMK had already made it clear that India should totally boycott the CHOGM, the Centre had failed to consider the demand.

“That was why I said that the Prime Minister’s decision to stay away from the CHOGM was a matter of some relief and the participation of External Minister Salman Khurshid was debatable. I am firm in my view that nobody from India should attend the meeting,” he said.

Mr. Karunanidhi said while it was no one’s intention to condemn the Union Government, the fact remained that it had failed to take any steps to put an end to the sufferings of the Tamils despite repeated requests.

“At least it could have boycotted the CHOGM. The Union Government is not ready for a boycott. It refused to listen to my opinion. We have no option, but to express our dissatisfaction over the attitude of the Centre,” he added.

The DMK leader said the unity of Tamils could be conveyed if all parties buried their differences and unanimously adopted the resolution if it was aimed at helping the Sri Lankan Tamils. Asked whether he would attend the special session of the Assembly considering the importance of the resolution, he said there was no place for him to sit in the House.

To a question on whether it would be a burden for the DMK to sail with the Congress during the next Lok Sabha polls, in a lighter vein he said he also felt bad about the situation.

Mr. Karunanidhi said he did not agree with the view that the Commonwealth was a toothless tiger and India’s participation or non-participation would not make any difference. “Many countries are members of the CHOGM and I don’t like to call it a toothless tiger or a lion without a tail.”

Asked whether the DMK would reconsider its decision to offer issue-based support the Congress-led UPA, he said the support was only for issues and not for the Congress.

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