Respect DMK for supporting Lankan Tamils: Chidambaram

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party for not supporting the United Progressive Alliance government's efforts to pass a resolution in Parliament on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and rejected accusations hurled at the Congress.

While addressing a public meeting in Chennai, Chidambaram explained the initiatives the Congress to pass a resolution in Parliament.

The government convened an all-party meet to discuss the issue, but BJP, Left Parties, Janata Dal, Akali Dal, Shiv Sena and the Telugu Desam opposed the passage of the resolution.

"When we were trying to pass a resolution, BJP Parliamentary Party Leader Sushma Swaraj said there was no necessity to discuss it and there is no need to conduct an all-party meet. Friends, you should understand that there is only one party in New Delhi which is ready to pass a resolution in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. If BJP or some other party was in power (at New Delhi), what would have happened," he asked during his 90-minute speech.

Chidambaram, who outlined the talks Congress held with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on the issue, alleged that the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu were trying to make the Congress a "scapegoat" over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

"I strongly condemn your statement that the Congress does not support Sri Lankan Tamils. I respect the DMK for supporting Sri Lankan Tamils. I support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. But I strongly object to the statement that Congress is not in support of the Tamils in Sri Lanka", he asserted.

Continuing his tirade against the BJP for appointing Amit Shah, a former Gujarat home minister and close aide of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, as its general secretary, Chidambaram asked how he could have been selected when he was allegedly involved in an encounter case.