Lankan ceasefire due to efforts of UPA: Congress

The Sri Lankan government had recently announced a 48-hour ceasefire solely due to the efforts of the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, the Congress party said in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Tuesday.

"It was India's efforts which ensured that the United Nations and other countries voiced concern over the Sri Lankan situation," Congress chief whip S Peter Alphonse said in a heated argument with the Communist Party of India on the Sri Lankan issue.

The verbal duel started after the CPI criticised the national party of doing little to stop the ongoing war in the island nation.

The CPI floor leader, V Sivapunniyam alleged that the Congress did not ensure a ceasefire in the northern parts of Sri Lanka.

To this, Alphonse referred to the efforts of the Centre to ensure that Colombo announced a ceasefire. He alleged that the LTTE was equally responsible for the deaths of civilians and asked Sivapunniyam whether he would urge the Tigers to give up arms.