New Delhi: The MDMK on Wednesday asked the Government to mount pressure on Colombo to return to peace talks and to stop the "genocide" of ethnic minorities.
After holding a protest demonstration, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, leading a delagation of party MPs, called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanded that India play a role in resuming the Norwegian-sponsored peace process.
The leaders submitted a memorandum urging New Delhi to desist from extending any military assistance to Sri Lanka and brought to his notice reports that Pakistani intelligence agency ISI was active in Colombo.
"We gave a detailed account of the Tamil problem and the present situation. The meeting was satisfactory and the Prime Minister has told us that India will not offer any military help to the island nation," Vaiko said.
"If the Indian Government offers military assistance to Sri Lanka, it would be construed as a direct help to the Sri Lankan government to attack the Tamils," he said.
They also asked the Government to provide medicine and food to Tamils in Sri Lanka as a humanitarian gesture besides offering shelter and help to refugees who have fled from Lankan military-controlled areas.
"The Sri Lankan government is killing innocent Tamils. The government should pressurise Norway to restart the peace process to bring an end to the genocide," Vaiko, whose party gives outside support to the UPA government, said.
Earlier, the firebrand leader led a demonstration by scores of party activists to the Sri Lankan High Commission here to protest and condemn the military action, and slammed Colombo for "killing innocents".
"Tamils are not orphans. The 60 million people of Tamil Nadu and 100 crore people of India are with them. We are here to express our agony and to protest genocide of Tamils by Sinhalese government," Vaiko said addressing the gathering.
MDMK activists, including women and children, took part in the rally which was stopped near Teen Murti Bhawan from proceeding towards the Lankan High Commission in the high-security Chanakyapuri locality.
Attacking the Lankan government, he recounted the aerial strikes on an orphanage earlier this month which claimed the lives of 16 children and the killing of volunteers at a tsunami refugee camp.
He said Pakistan was playing a key role in the island and the Sri Lankan government is acquiring weapons from that country. "Indian government should realise that ISI is working round-the-clock in Colombo," he said.
"Pakistan wants to strike terror in India and places in south India should not become a target in the future," he added.
President Mahinda Rajapakse was "hoodwinking" India and the international community when he talks about devolution of power. "The fact is the government supported by Buddhist clergy do not want to give anything to the Tamils," he said.
He also slammed the Lankan Deputy Commissioner in Chennai for issuing a statement criticising the resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly opposing the military action. "It was a high-handed action which went beyond diplomatic boundaries. He should be asked to go back," he said.
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