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Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday accused the Italian government of "betrayal" and said the two Italian marines facing charges of killing two Indian fishermen should not be allowed to get away with it."No country can, should or will be allowed to take India for granted," Gandhi said, while addressing party workers at a parliamentary party meeting. "All means must be pursued to ensure that the commitment made by the Italian government to our Supreme Court is honoured." The apex court has prevented the Italian ambassador in New Delhi, Daniele Mancini, from leaving India after the European country said the two marines, who were allowed to go to Italy to cast votes, would not return to India to face trial.
Gandhi's statement assumes significance as the Opposition has been alluding to her Italian origins to explain the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's inability to handle the marine issue properly.
"The defiance of the Italian government on the question of the two marines and its betrayal of a commitment to our Supreme Court are outright unacceptable. No country can, should, or will be allowed to take India for granted. All means must be pursued to ensure that the commitment made by the Italian government to our Supreme Court is honoured," Gandhi said.
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Party sources indicated that it was imperative that Gandhi sent out a strong message on the issue as the party could not afford to look weak in the face of an all-out Opposition onslaught, alluding to her Italian origins.
The Congress president further reiterated the government's commitment to the food security Bill, the Direct Benefits Transfer, the anti-rape Bill and the land Bill. The government successfully managed to table the anti-rape Bill in Parliament today.
