3RD LEAD

Indian parliament hijacked to show solidarity with genocide and militarism

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 August 2011, 16:00 GMT]
The Congress-led Indian establishment that orchestrates a crime-filled Sri Lanka policy through advisors, bureaucrats and intelligence agents, on Tuesday hijacked its parliament to demonstrate its adamant solidarity with genocide and militarism in the island by inviting a delegation of the island’s parliament to a session of its parliament, at a time when the Tamil Nadu State Assembly has passed an overwhelming resolution to investigate the crimes of the regime in the island, political analysts in Chennai said. The protesting AIADMK, MDMK, CPI and CPI(M) of Tamil Nadu in the Indian parliament shouted “shame, shame”, when the speaker of the Indian parliament welcomed the guest-partners and the rest of the members followed thumping their desks.

Communist Party of India (CPI) floor leader, Gurudas Dasgupta was seen telling the protesting AIADMK leader Thambidurai to sit down, the Indian Express reported [Enquiries by TamilNet later revealed that it was CPI MP P. Lingam and not Mr. Thambidurai who was instructed to sit down by the floor leader of the CPI]

Despite the heads of non-Congress political parties giving top priority to the burning Tamil issue in the island, the Speaker of the House has gone against the spirit of the Indian people by welcoming the SL representatives, political circles in Tamil Nadu said.

Meanwhile, Bangalore based, Forum Against War Crimes and Genocide came out with the following statement on Tuesday:

Yet another Show of Ugly support by the Indian govt

On the opening day of the monsoon session of parliament, Sri Lankan MP's were invited as guests by the Indian govt. Except the representatives from AIADMK, all the other representatives welcomed the 'guests' with enthusiasm, including the prime minister. Also the speaker Meira Kumar had observed that “They have come at our invitation and you must honour and respect them”.

The speaker of our parliament advises us to treat the representatives of a fascist regime which committed genocide with honour. Also an "India Srilanka parliamentary friendship group" was formed yesterday.

With the UN expert panel report calling the mechanism of reconciliation by the SL govt as impotent, and with European countries , human rights activists and lawyers all over the world calling for independent international investigation against the Srilankan govt for war crimes, crimes against humanity and a possible genocide, it is indeed very surprising to find our government forming a "parliamentary friendship committee", and maintaining a ghostly silence over the recent revelations. Something is missing isn't it?

One is forced to recall the number of times Srilankan ministers have visited India as Govt guests after the brutal war got over. Rajapaksa himself was invited for the commonwealth games within one year after he had administered a genocide and again this year he was invited to preside over the cricket world cup finals. Now, the Srilankan MP's have visited the Indian parliament as guests and a friendship committee of the parliamentarians has been formed.

This ugly and unnecessary backing for the SL govt raises serious doubts about the relationship between the two countries. Is it merely a neighbourhood friendship and politics? Or is it something more, about market and arms too?

Considering the fact that India is providing continuous economic and diplomatic support for the SL govt in the international arena, and inviting them time and again, the Indian govt is clearly sending out a strong message to us and to the world community. This might provide an escape route for the killers, like how they got off the hook in the UN soon after the war got over, with the help of a heavy diplomatic backing from India during the month of May 2009.

Hard questions need to be asked. Taxpayers and people of India need to get the govt by the collar and ask "How can you finance a genocide with people's money and how dare you invite the killers for dinner?, your hands are tainted too?"