Jayanthi Natarajan asks PM to boycott CHOGM

Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan has met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday and requested him to boycott the schedule CHOGM meet in Sri Lanka over war crimes and violence against Tamils there.

“The Prime Minister’s statement that he will participate in CHOGM meet is a huge disappointment,” she had said.

Manmohan Singh is under tremendous pressure after Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Shipping Minister GK Vasan and Defence Minister A K Antony have advised him to skip CHOGM.

Both AIADMK and DMK earlier urged Prime Minister not to attend the meeting.

“The documentary exposes Sri Lankan government and they continue with human rights violation. We cannot accept Sri Lanka as a civilised nation. India should not attend the meeting. We had Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi who condemned these acts, don’t know what’s happened with the government of India. If India is afraid then that is wrong,” DMK leader TKS Elangovan had said.

“If the Prime Minister attends the Commonwealth meeting in Colombo then the parties which are in favour of it might have to face the consequences,” DMK chief M Karunanidhi warned Prime Minister.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa earlier wrote to Prime Minister against his proposed visit in Sri Lanka. The Tamil Nadu Assembly had also passed a resolution urging the government to boycott the CHOGM in Colombo.

However, it seems UPA is divided over this issue. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has been advocating PM’s participation in CHOGM meet.

“Domestic factors important, but India must keep international responsibilities too. CHOGM members want PM to go to Sri Lanka,” Khurshid told few days back.

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