Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi on Friday warned his party will pull out of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government if India does not press for an independent international probe against alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka in the US-sponsored resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

In a statement, Karunanidhi, referring to the US sponsored resolution at the UNHRC against Sri Lanka, said: “India should take steps to amend the American resolution to include that those war criminals responsible for the genocide in Sri Lanka be identified, hold a free international enquiry against them and take time bound appropriate action.”

“If this request is not heeded, it will be meaningless for the DMK to continue in the federal government,” he added.

DMK, with 18 members in the Lok Sabha, is a key constituent in the central UPA government.

India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid earlier in the day said India was in the “process” of deciding its stand on the resolution against Sri Lanka in the UN. “The process of deciding on the resolution is underway. We will engage with all member countries,” Khurshid told the Rajya Sabha.

In Tamil Nadu, fishermen have decided to boycott fishing indefinitely from Friday demanding release of 53 of their colleagues, arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy during the last two days for allegedly entering its waters illegally.

Later Sri Lanka released 34 of the 53 fishermen.

The fishermen were handed over to Indian officials in Delft from where they will be brought to Jaffna. The released fishermen would stay in Jaffna pending repatriation.

Agencies