India urges Italy to return 2 marines to face trial

Italy should honour undertaking given to the India’s Supreme Court and return the two marines accused of killing two Kerala fishermen to face trial, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh told the Indian Parliament, according to state news agency the Press Information Bureau (PIB).Responding to the issue raised by the Opposition in both houses of Parliament, Dr Singh said Italy’s action is “unacceptable” and said the government will pursue diplomatic channels to bring the two marines back.“Our government has already made it clear that these actions of the Government of Italy are not acceptable. They violate every rule of diplomatic discourse and call into question solemn commitments given by accredited representatives of a sovereign government to our Supreme Court,” Dr Singh said in a statement to the Lower House“If they do not keep their word there will be consequences for our relations with Italy,” the Indian Prime Minister said.The two marines were allowed to go back to Italy to vote in last month’s general elections after the Italian government gave an undertaking to the Indian Supreme Court of returning within four weeks.India’s national media last night debated the escalating diplomatic row between the two countries.In a panel discussion with representatives from ruling and opposition political parties, Times Now’s Arnab Goswami said, “India is seen as a soft state” and blamed the federal authorities to allow the two Marines to “escape” under the pretext of casting votes which could have also been done via postal ballot.The two marines accused are accused of killing two Kerala fishermen from their ship the Enrica Lexie off the Kerala coast in February 2012.The marines, members of a military security team protecting the Italian cargo ship Enrica Lexie, said they mistook the fishermen for pirates.Italy has challenged India’s right to try the sailors in Supreme Court, saying the shooting took place in international waters, outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts.Indian authorities accuse the sailors of shooting unarmed fishermen in a “contiguous zone” where Indian law applies.