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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today sought to mount pressure on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for boycotting the upcoming CHOGM meet to be hosted by Sri Lanka next month in view of alleged human rights violations and discrimination against Tamil minority in that country.
"I strongly exhort you to ensure that the government of India stays away from the CHOGM in Colombo. This will exert diplomatic pressure on Sri Lanka to adopt a more reasonable approach towards its Tamil minority population" she said in her letter to Singh, the copies of which were released to the press here.
Quoting recent media reports in which the Prime Minister conveyed that he would keep in mind the sentiments of Tamil people in deciding on his participation in the CHOGM, Jayalalathaa said the view of Tamil Nadu was that India should not participate at any level whether titular, ministerial or official.
"Only such an action will convey India's unequivocal stand that it will not tolerate the violation of human rights of the Sri Lankan Tamil minority. I hope you will respect the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu and unanimous view across party lines and convey India's decision to stay away from the forthcoming CHOGM at Colombo in November", she said.
Recently, the Prime Minister had reportedly communicated to DMK Chief M Karunanidhi through that party leader T R Balu that he would take a decision on participating in CHOGM keeping in the mind sentiments of Tamil people.
