Chennai: With political parties in Tamil Nadu stepping up pressure on the Centre for boycott of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at Colombo this month, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram met DMK chief M Karunanidhi in Chennai today and said no decision has been taken as yet on Prime Minister's visit to the meet.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the DMK patriarch at his residence, he termed as "incorrect" media reports on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's likely participation in CHOGM. He stressed that the subject was still under discussion and a final decision was yet to be taken.
"Media reports are incorrect. The subject is still under discussion. A final decision is yet to be taken. Individual Congress leaders have expressed their opinion," he told reporters.
The Finance Minister, however, did not disclose what transpired at the meet.
The DMK is among 11 major political parties in Tamil Nadu which have demanded that India boycott the CHOGM and register its strong protest over alleged war crimes against Tamils in Sri Lanka.
The DMK patriarch had recently hardened his stand over the issue, saying "not even a speck of rust should be present at the meet" and also cautioned former ally Congress it would have to "face the consequences" if the PM participates in it.
The Congress had aligned with the DMK in Tamil Nadu for the last two Lok Sabha elections since 2004.
Though the DMK snapped its alliance with UPA on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue in March this year, it continues to maintain political ties with Congress which supported its candidate Kanimozhi in the Rajya Sabha polls.
Tamil Nadu Assembly had also passed a unanimous resolution on October 24, demanding India seek temporary suspension of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth body and insisting on a "complete" boycott of CHOGM by the Centre, respecting the "sentiments and opinion" of the state's people.
Mr Chidambaram also condemned the alleged rape and murder of Sri Lankan woman media personality Isaipriya and demanded that the island nation's government conduct a probe into the incident and punish those responsible.
"I have seen the Isaipriya video. I believe it's a real video. The Sri Lankan government should punish those responsible," he said.The disturbing new images have emerged that prove that Tamil Tiger news broadcaster and singer Isaipriya alias Shoba was not killed in combat, but in cold blood.
A video taken by a Lankan soldier shows Priya lying in a muddy sea water ditch when Lankan forces find her. They treat her with dignity and cover her with a sheet of white cloth. They mistake her for LTTE chief Prabhakaran's daughter. She says no.
Later on, the video, obtained by Channel 4, shows Lt. Col. Isaipriya, who was also a soldier in the rebel LTTE army, lying in a ditch with deep cuts on her face. The Channel 4 report says she was sexually assaulted and killed.
The Prime Ministers of Australia and Britain are under pressure to boycott the CHOGM meeting to put pressure on the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime for human rights violations.
In India, the government itself is split with ministers from Tamil Nadu, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Shipping Minister GK Vasan, asking the Prime Minister to boycott the meet. The Tamil Nadu Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging the Centre to boycott the meeting. DMK chief M Karunanidhi has warned the Centre of consequences.
The Sri Lankan government has consistently denied perpetrating any war atrocities. However, recently the UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay had slammed Sri Lanka in her report after visiting the war-torn northern zone.
It is in this backdrop that the Sri Lankan government is attempting an image makeover by conducting the CHOGM. However, Indian Tamil parties are further angered with the release of this video. DMK, other Tamil parties and even the local Congress have voiced vociferous opposition to the PM's participation in the CHOGM. Sources say even P Chidambaram is against Manmohan's attendance.
