Kollam/New Delhi, Mar. 22 (ANI): Dora Gelastine, widow of one of the slain Indian fishermen, on Friday welcomed the Italian Government's decision to send back the two marines, and said that justice should now be delivered soon.
"I am glad that the two marines are now coming back and I welcome this decision. I would just urge the Indian government and the court to give us justice," she told media in Kollam.
Welcoming Italy's decision to send back its marines, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said the integrity and dignity of Indian judicial process has been upheld.
"I am happy that the integrity and dignity of the Indian judicial process has been upheld," Dr. Singh told mediapersons in the Parliament House complex.
Dr. Singh earlier on March 12 said Italy's decision not to send two marines charged with the killing of two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala last year back is unacceptable.
Dr. Singh, who reacted sharply to the Italian Government's decision, told Left MPs from Kerala that he would ask External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to take up the issue with Italy.
Asserting that there will be consequences if the Italian Government does not respect its commitment and return the two marines to India, Dr. Singh had earlier said that there can be no two opinions about the action taken by the Italian Government on the matter raised by the members.
"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," said Dr. Singh.
"Our government has therefore insisted that the Italian authorities respect the undertakings they have given to the honourable Supreme Court and return the two accused persons to stand trial in India. If they do not keep their word there will be consequences for our relations with Italy," he added.
Reversing its earlier decision, the Italian Government on Thursday said that it would return to India the two marines facing murder charges in the shooting of two fishermen.
The announcement reversed an earlier decision by the Italian Foreign Ministry saying the pair would not return on March 22 when they were granted permission to return home to vote in Italian elections.
Italy's previous decision not to send the marines - Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone - to face trial triggered a diplomatic standoff.
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered Italy's Ambassador to India Daniele Mancini not to leave the country till April 2, when the next hearing into the killing of two Kerala fishermen allegedly by two Italian marines is scheduled.
The apex court further indicated that all authorities should take appropriate steps on the order restraining the Italian envoy from leaving the country.
Mancini, meanwhile, told the apex court that he had complete immunity under the Vienna Convention.
The apex court said that it would not accept nor does it believe the ambassador's statement, as he had lost trust of the court by going back on his word.
The two Italian marines, Salvatore Latorre and Massimiliano Girone, charged with homicide for killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February 2012 after mistaking them for pirates, were permitted by the Supreme Court to go to Italy for four weeks to vote in last month's election.
Earlier, the two were allowed to go home during Christmas. They returned to India as promised . (ANI)
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