Amidst mounting pressure from ally DMK and other parties,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India was inclined to vote in favour of a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN,which meets our objectives with regard to the future of ethnic Tamils,based on equality,dignity,justice and self-respect. Expressing satisfaction over Singhs statement,the DMK cancelled plans to hold a high-level meeting on Tuesday on the matter as well as the protest fast across Tamil Nadu that it had announced only hours earlier. The PM told the Lok Sabha that India was yet to receive the final text of the draft resolution moved at the UN Human Rights Council. We are inclined to vote in favour of the resolution if the resolution will cover our objectives, he said while replying to the debate on Motion of Thanks to the Presidents address. His statement was received by thumping of desks,including by DMK members. Singh also said that Tamils in Sri Lanka have been accorded the highest priority by his government. There is no need to stage the protest fast as the PM has stated Indias support for the resolution. Likewise,it is not necessary to hold the high-level executive committee meeting of the party scheduled for tomorrow, DMK president M Karunanidhi told reporters in Chennai. The DMK had stepped up pressure on the Congress over the matter. Karunanidhi said today that his party would have pulled out its ministers from the UPA and extended only issue-based support to it in the event of its demand on the resolution not being met.
