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Lanka sovereignty important,but concerned about Tamils,says PM

Explaining its vote against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC,India underscored the need to respect Colombos sovereignty in the matter

Explaining its vote against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC,India underscored the need to respect Colombos sovereignty in the matter. India believes the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights lies with the states. Consequently resolutions of this nature should fully respect the sovereign rights of states and contribute to Sri Lankas own efforts in this regard, it said.

New Delhi also stressed on consultation with,and concurrence of,Colombo. While we subscribe to the broader message of this resolution… we also underline that any assistance from the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights or visits of UN Special Procedures should be in consultation with and with the concurrence of the Sri Lankan government, it said.

In the evening,speaking on the sidelines of the Padma Awards ceremony,PM Manmohan Singh said,We dont want to infringe on Sri Lankas sovereignty but our concerns should be expressed so Tamils get justice and dignity.

The tweaking of the text was part of an elaborate consultative exercise over the last 10 days held by NSA Shivshanker Menon in New Delhi with officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian high commission in Colombo.

Indias note said,These are norms which all of us in the Council subscribe to. A democratic country like Sri Lanka has to be provided time and space to achieve the objectives of reconciliation and peace. It also urged Sri Lanka to take forward the measures for accountability and to promote human rights that it has committed to.

First uploaded on: 23-03-2012 at 01:18 IST

Karnataka Congressman who accompanied Rahul Gandhi on Yatra joins BJP

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Dr Shushruth Gowda, a renowned doctor from Mysuru and KPCC general secretary, left the Congress and joined the BJP after being denied a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections. He is the son of late Dr H C Vishnumurthy, a socialist and founder chairman of a hospital in Mysuru. Gowda praised PM Modi's work and vowed to work for BJP candidate Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar's win.

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