DMK locks horns with Congress

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsThe Congress-led UPA Government on Tuesday came under attack from its own ally, the DMK, which demanded that the training provided to Sri Lankan defence personnel in the country be stopped at once.As the Opposition continued to stall both houses of Parliament, all BJP members trooped to the well of the Upper House, shouting slogans demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over ‘Coalgate’.However, to the surprise of Congressmen, the DMK members too left their seats, displaying placards that urged the Centre to stop all training provided to the Sri Lankan Army.This drew the ire of Deputy Chairperson P J Kurien, who termed it a “severe violation” of House rules.The protests came after the Defence Ministry categorically struck down objections against the training of Sri Lankan defence personnel at the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington in Tamil Nadu.Speaking to Express outside Parliament, DMK Rajya Sabha member Vasanthi Stanley said that her party had given a notice for suspension of Question Hour to discuss the matter.“But, because of disruptions, there was no question of that taking place. So we had to express our feelings,” said Stanley.On Monday, Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju told reporters, “Sri Lanka is a friendly foreign country and the training will go on. Sometimes there are objections raised by local governments which we have to take into consideration”.The announcement was made after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote again to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing the Centre of “mischievously concealing” the presence of two Sri Lankan defence officers at the college.She had also charged the Centre with “excessive enthusiasm” in shifting of Sri Lankan Air Force personnel from Tambaram to Bangalore following objections.Both Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu have been indulging in one-upmanship in demonstrating their support to bring the Sri Lankan government to book for the war atrocities against Tamils during the last phase of the civil war in the island country.Stanley said that the issue of stopping all defence training for Sri Lanka in India was also part of the recommendations of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-sponsored Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation (TESO) conference that ended last week.first published:August 29, 2012, 07:57 ISTlast updated:August 29, 2012, 07:57 IST
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The Congress-led UPA Government on Tuesday came under attack from its own ally, the DMK, which demanded that the training provided to Sri Lankan defence personnel in the country be stopped at once.

As the Opposition continued to stall both houses of Parliament, all BJP members trooped to the well of the Upper House, shouting slogans demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over ‘Coalgate’.

However, to the surprise of Congressmen, the DMK members too left their seats, displaying placards that urged the Centre to stop all training provided to the Sri Lankan Army.

This drew the ire of Deputy Chairperson P J Kurien, who termed it a “severe violation” of House rules.

The protests came after the Defence Ministry categorically struck down objections against the training of Sri Lankan defence personnel at the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to Express outside Parliament, DMK Rajya Sabha member Vasanthi Stanley said that her party had given a notice for suspension of Question Hour to discuss the matter.

“But, because of disruptions, there was no question of that taking place. So we had to express our feelings,” said Stanley.

On Monday, Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju told reporters, “Sri Lanka is a friendly foreign country and the training will go on. Sometimes there are objections raised by local governments which we have to take into consideration”.

The announcement was made after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote again to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing the Centre of “mischievously concealing” the presence of two Sri Lankan defence officers at the college.

She had also charged the Centre with “excessive enthusiasm” in shifting of Sri Lankan Air Force personnel from Tambaram to Bangalore following objections.

Both Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu have been indulging in one-upmanship in demonstrating their support to bring the Sri Lankan government to book for the war atrocities against Tamils during the last phase of the civil war in the island country.

Stanley said that the issue of stopping all defence training for Sri Lanka in India was also part of the recommendations of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-sponsored Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation (TESO) conference that ended last week.