Murshidabad, Feb 21 : Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday appealed to the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to come to a peaceful negotiated settlement.

"Political solution is the only way out and the two sides should sit across the table for a negotiated settlement," Mukherjee told media persons on the sidelines of a function at Raghunath Ganj here.

He expressed his views after the latest air raids by LTTE over Colombo.

He said there should be a congenial and peaceful atmosphere; otherwise attacks and counter-attacks will continue to hammer both sides.

The Minister cleared the India's stand over the plight of the huge Sri Lankan Tamil population who have been caught in the crossfire.

"They are being killed and their normal life is seriously affected," he said.

The Foreign Minister said India would appeal to Colombo to ensure that the rights of the minority Tamils are protected.

The LTTE is fighting to create a separate homeland for Sri Lankan Tamils, many of whom complain of marginalisation by successive governments led by the Sinhalese majority since the island nation's independence from Britain in 1948. (ANI)