DMK isolated

Most parties opposed to Lanka resolution in Parliament Anita Saluja New Delhi: After the pull-out of the DMK, the Congress-led UPA government, which is at pains to project itself as stable and not lame-duck government, has entered into a fire-fighting mode. While at the political level, it was seen assuaging the hurt feelings of Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, on the diplomatic front, it was busy finalising amendments to the draft resolution on Sri Lanka at UNHRC that is expected to be put on vote on Thursday. The all-party meeting convened by the Union government to explore the possibility of parliament adopting a resolution against Sri Lanka on Wednesday night saw most parties opposing such a move, leaving no scope for it. At the 90-minute meeting, only DMK and AIADMK supported the idea of bringing a resolution. Sources said as most of the parties were not in favour, the idea was as good as given up. The Samajwadi Party, which supports the government from outside, said Sri Lanka was a friendly country and the Indian parliament should not pass a resolution against it. "We are with Lankan Tamils but there is no need for a resolution by Parliament as Lanka is the only country which stood with us during the 1962 China war. A day after the DMK withdrew support to the UPA government, the five Union Ministers belonging to the DMK handed in their resignations. Congress president Sonia Gandhi approached Mulayam Singh Yadav in the Lok Sabha and is considered to have tendered an apology to him on behalf of Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma, saying that the views expressed by him were not those of the party. Verma, too, after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, expressed regrets over his remarks, saying, "I am sorry if my remarks have hurt anybody's sentiments." But the Samajwadi Party supremo was not pleased, declaring that the SP Parliamentary Party meeting on Thursday would take the call on it.A The change of stance has reportedly come, after leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, goading him on the issue. "Mulayam Singh is a respectable member of the House. We may have difference of opinion with him, but Beni Prasad's statement that Mulayam Singh accepts commission for supporting the government is condemnable. We demand that Beni Prasad be sacked from the Cabinet and the matter be handed over to the Committee on Privileges for breach of privilege," Sushma said. It was on the same issue that the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the entire day, besides the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. Congress is in no position to annoy Mulayam Singh, as it is on the crutches of both the SP and the BSP that it is looking forward to passing important legislation like the Lokpal Bill, Food Security Bill, Land Acquisition Bill and important reform Bills like Pension Bill and Insurance Bill, besides passing the Budget. Finance Minister P Chidambaram declared the passing of Bills would not be difficult as each Bill would be judged on its merits. He said, "It is our duty to steer the ship even if there is a mild storm in the sea. We have our hand firmly on the wheel and we will continue to take decisions." On the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, the Congress was working on two fronts. While it was keen to reach out to Tamils in Tamil Nadu, it was racing against time to finalise amendments to the UNHRC Resolution. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony, besides National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mithai and India's Permanent Representative to UNHRC in Geneva Dilip Sinha were busy holding discussions with the PM on the amendments to be moved on the Sri Lankan issue. Salman Khurshid stated, "On every amendment, we have to sound out all the 47 countries. At least the consent of 24 countries is required for moving an amendment. There are certain dynamics to be worked out."