From correspondents in Delhi, India, 06:02 PM IST

The Congress party Monday insisted that Sri Lanka did not call off 'combat operations' against the Tamil Tigers due to Indian pressure, and instead credited the move to 'world opinion'.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the Sri Lankan decision followed 'collective world opinion in which India was in the vanguard'.

He sought to dispel the impression that this followed pressure exerted by India in the wake of reports of widespread civilian casualties in the island nation.

'It is very, very important for a sovereign nation to exercise its sovereignty,' Singhvi told reporters here, adding that people should not be 'unnecessarily critical'.

He said in response to a question that Sri Lanka was not a 'subordinate mohalla or district within India's jurisdiction'. He described Sri Lanka as a sovereign and 'a friendly neigbbouring country'.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)