Charges against Cong on SL issue ill-founded: Narayanasamy

Chennai: Terming as "ill-founded" and "motivated", charges against the Congress and the UPA Government on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Union Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday alleged students were being instigated by some persons to stage agitations on the issue. India was one of the 25 countries that voted in favour of US-sponsored resolution at UNHRC against Sri Lanka where New Delhi pushed for an independent and credible probe into human rights violation charges and loss of civilian lives in the war in Lanka as demanded by political parties in Tamil Nadu, he told reporters at the airport in Chennai.

"That resolution has been passed by the UNHRC. As for India, it is one of the 25 countries (that voted in favour). India cannot ask for any resolution on its own as it has to seek support of others," the Minister of State in PMO said. State political parties' criticism of his party and the government led by it were "ill-founded, politically motivated and (done to) sidetrack the issue as they want to keep the issue alive," he said alleging students were being instigated (into taking up various forms of protests). Students have been staging protests and demonstrations across Tamil Nadu on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

On Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and DMK President M Karunanidhi objecting to India's participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Colombo this November, he said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will discuss the matter with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and take a decision.

To a question on the controversy over the reported remarks by Sri Lankan High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam in the context of the Lankan Tamils issue, Narayansamy said that he has to "work within the parameters and guidelines given to an Ambassador or High Commissioner." The government has got a feedback on the matter and "we will take a call at the appropriate time," he added.

To a question, he said the UPA Government was stable as it had the majority with the backing of SP and BSP and pointed out to Mulayam Singh Yadav's remarks that his party had no plans as of now to withdraw its outside support to the UPA Government.