Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the Centre has cautioned Sri Lanka against its Navy attacking Indian fishermen and has been taking steps for rehabiliation of Lankan Tamils now kept in camps in the island nation.
Dr Singh conveyed this to DMK Parliamentary Leader T R Baalu when he called on him to hand over Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's letter and copy of resolution adopted at DMK's ''Mupperum Vizha'' urging the Centre to confer Indian citizenship on Lankan Tamil Refugees living in Tamil Nadu.
A DMK release said when Mr Baalu handed over the letter and urged him to concede the demand, the Prime Minister told him steps are being taken for the rehabilitation of the Lankan Tamils.
The Prime Minister also told the DMK Leader the Centre was holding preliminary level talks on sending a team to Sri Lanka (to visit the Tamils kept in temporary camps).
On Mr Karunanidhi's letter to the Centre, urging it to take immediate steps to put an end to the attacks on Indian fishermen by the Lankan Navy, the Prime Minister said the Union Government had already issued a warning to the Lankan Government against such incidents, the release said.
Later, Mr Baalu called on Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and handed over Mr Karunanidhi's letter and DMK resolution demanding Indian Citizenship to Lankan Tamil Refugees in Tamil Nadu.
Ms Gandhi assured Mr Baalu the Centre would take speedy action on the ruquests made by the Chief Minister, the release said.
The DMK, in a resolution, urged the Centre to confer Indian citizenship on about 73,000 refugees living in 115 camps and about 30,000 Lankan Tamils living in various places in Tamil Nadu. (UNI)
