BackVaiko urges govt not to participate in Sri Lanka’s defence conference
Indian delegation's participation in the conference is 'unpardonable', says MDMK leader
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Chennai: Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), an ally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday urged the Union government to not participate in a defence conference to be hosted by Sri Lanka next month.
“It is shocking to learn that an Indian delegation, comprising senior military personnel, officials and BJP leaders, including Subramanian Swamy, will be participating in a defence conference being organized by Sri Lanka," MDMK general secretary Vaiko said in a statement.
The conference is to be held in the island nation on 18-20 August.
Reiterating his charge that the Sri Lanka government had committed genocide and killed Tamils using banned chemical weapons, Vaiko said the Centre’s “pro-Lanka" stance had led to doubts whether India was going to “bury justice" by joining hands with the island nation.
“At a time when several nations are urging an independent, international probe into the genocide in the United Nations Human Rights Council, an Indian delegation participating in the Lanka defence meet is unpardonable," he said.
On the remark attributed to BJP functionary Seshadri Chari in Singapore that “India’s foreign policy cannot be determined by considering Tamil Nadu and West Bengal," Vaiko said the view was “poisonous" and deserved to be condemned.
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