india

Updated: Aug 27, 2019 14:14 IST

DMK president MK Stalin will attend the 42nd session of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), commencing from September 9.

The UNHRC, in a communiqué to Stalin, has confirmed his registration for participation in the high profile event which will last till September 29.

This is the second time that the DMK chief will be attending the UNHRC session. Earlier, in June 2017, he participated in the event raising the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils and their human rights in the aftermath of the civil war which saw the decimation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Then, he was accompanied by party veteran and former Union Minister TR Baalu.

DMK has been vociferous against the Centre’s scrapping of Article 370 that removed the special status to Jammu and Kashmir besides downgrading the state into two Union Territories; the Dravidian major has also raised questions over restrictions imposed there by the Centre. The third largest party in Lok Sabha appears to be engaged in an image makeover and this Geneva trip could help.

However, according to DMK sources, Stalin is expected to once again highlight the plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils, still an emotive issue for Tamil Nadu, at the UNHRC. Further, this would help the party course correct, as its conduct as an alliance partner in the UPA government during the 2009 Sri Lankan civil war had come in for criticism from its core constituency.