Opinion:

Modi's bold step will strengthen bilateral relations

By K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

India's Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi had set an example by inviting all South Asian leaders for his oath-taking ceremony to be held at Rashtapathi Bhawan in New Delhi tomorrow.

Air Force women marching at the Victory Day parade in Matara.

The Army motorcycle division.

It was a goodwill gesture by Modi to invite Heads of State in the SAARC region, including arch rivals Pakistan.

Though the extremist politicians in Tamil Nadu had criticised the invitation to Sri Lanka, Modi has stood his ground, ensuring friendship and solidarity in the region. Such a fresh approach by the new Indian leader would shatter all previous differences among South Asian neighbours, allowing them to strengthen their bilateral relations.

It will be a new milestone for the peace and stability in the region when Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attends the inauguration of Modi as the 15th Prime Minister of India on Monday.

Example

It is the first time since the two countries won independence in 1947 that a prime minister from one country will attend such a ceremony in the other.

The two nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars in the past six decades and Modi's magnanimous gesture even before assuming duties has set a shining example.

Modi is seen as a hardliner on national security issues and his party BJP advocates a tough stance on Pakistan. Despite all overwhelming odds, Modi has taken a bold step to promote peace and harmony.

On the other hand, the clear cut majority the BJP has got at the recent election to the world's largest democracy will give Sri Lanka a fair deal from its closest neighbour. The best that had happened to Sri Lanka is the loss of bargaining power enjoyed by the Tamil Nadu.

Now that Modi does not have to depend on Tamil Nadu for his Government's stability, the Centre could take more independent and vibrant stance on Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu politicians have always played the racist card for their political survival. Whenever India had had minority Governments, Tamil Nadu showed its strength and exploited them to the maximum.

Now that India has a stable Government with a thumping majority to Modi's BJP, the Indian Government would no longer be used as a puppet by the opportunist politicians in Tamil Nadu. Even though the previous Congress-led Government of Manmohan Singh wanted to look at matters pertaining to Sri Lanka in a neutral manner, Tamil Nadu politicians always exerted undue pressure. Such things would now become a thing of the past as the BJP could stand in its own.

Democracy

The BJP has justified its decision to invite President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Modi's swearing-in ceremony saying it is an invitation to celebrate democracy and should be seen in that context.

Rejecting objections from some quarters to the invitation extended to President Rajapaksa, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman has put the record straight. "This is essentially an attempt to participate in a joyful celebration of democracy and the invitation should be seen in that context," he was quoted as saying to the PTI.

She said inviting SAARC countries is a responsible gesture for creating goodwill on the occasion when a newly-elected Prime Minister is being sworn in. "We will certainly like to have our neighbours participate in this happy occasion," she said and when asked about objections raised by certain NDA allies on inviting Rajapaksa, she said, "I am sure they will understand the reason for doing so."

The DMK had said that Modi could have "avoided" inviting the Sri Lankan leader for his swearing-in ceremony and should "understand the feelings" of people of Tamil Nadu. The move has also disheartened some other parties in Tamil Nadu. Vaiko-led MDMK, which is part of the NDA, is also reportedly against the invitation extended to Sri Lanka.

Public secret

But BJP spokesman Capt Abhimanyu has said inviting SAARC leaders was a positive step taken by the new government. Prakash Javadekar said Modi was only following in the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in inviting India's neighbours.

India has invited all heads of states of South Asian countries, including Pakistan Prime to attend Modi's oath-taking ceremony in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

President Rajapaksa extended an invitation to the Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council Justice C.V. Wigneshwaran to join the Presidential delegation to attend the ceremony in New Delhi.

The Amnesty International too attempted to put their agendas in motion, demanding that Modi must ask Sri Lanka to cooperate with the UN investigations into alleged war crimes. It is a public secret that the Amnesty International is a Western agent. Hence, they have no right whatsoever to tell what Modi ought to do. Moreover, the UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka, for which India abstained from voting, has nothing to do with President Rajapaksa's presence in India to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony.

Menace

India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always been at the receiving end of terrorism. Thanks to the untiring efforts and the political leadership President Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka has established peace after the eradication of LTTE terrorism five years ago. Sri Lanka's sincere wish would be to see both India and Pakistan getting rid of terrorism and establish peace. That would be an important step towards peace in the South Asian region.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain extended his country's unwavering support to President Rajapaksa when they held bilateral discussions in Shanghai, China last week. "Pakistan is with you," President Hussain said.

"We have also suffered and still we are suffering from terrorism. Insha Allah, we'd get rid of this menace." The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 4th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

"Pakistan will always support Sri Lanka at international fora," the Pakistani President had said explaining further that it is because the complaints that are leveled against Sri Lanka "are illogical."

President Rajapaksa thanked Pakistan for always being supportive of Sri Lanka both during and after the war, including at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Meanwhile, India's Janatha Party leader Subramanian Swamy has called on the incoming central government to closely cooperate with Sri Lanka to counter terrorism in the region, especially the threat from the Islamic fundamentalists.

"India must enter into constructive dialogue with Sri Lanka and on counter-terror strategy in the sub-continent particularly in view of the fact that many Pakistani trained Islamic fundamentalists from Sri Lanka are sneaking into India to carry out terrorist attack in Tamil Nadu," a statement from Swamy said.

Expertise

On the 23rd death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated by LTTE, Swamy, a strong supporter of Sri Lanka, lauded the Sri Lankan government for completely wiping out the militant group from Sri Lanka.

"Today the nation should complement the Government of Sri Lanka for completely decimating the LTTE and destroying their organisation." He also called for counter-terror strategies in the sub-continent against the backdrop of the recent train blasts in Chennai Railway Station in which one was killed and over a dozen injured.

Hence, it is the responsibility if these South Asian nations to make a collective effort to crush terrorism from South Asia. Having done so in May 2009, Sri Lanka is willing to share its expertise and first-hand experience. But the West Has not done anything to that effect.

Instead, they have levelled war crimes charges against Sri Lanka to deprive the credit it deserves by becoming the first country in the world to eradicate terrorism. If the US is honest in its efforts to crush global terrorism, they should not hesitate to make the full use of Sri Lanka's first-hand experience.

Ugly practice

What puzzles all of us is the double standards of these godfathers of human rights. They are more concerned about the human rights of the LTTE terrorists killed in action. The moment a terrorist in civics is killed in action and throw the weapon, that person is counted as a civilian as a civilian killed by the Security Forces. This ugly practice should be abandoned immediately.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B.S. Gnanadesikan has said that friendly relations with Sri Lanka are of strategic importance, and the new government at the Centre should ensure continuity in the foreign policy, along the lines taken by the UPA government, in the interests of Tamils.

At a press conference in Tamil Nadu, he has said nothing could be achieved without a dialogue with Sri Lanka. "Discussing our grievances with President Mahinda Rajapaksa is essential. Sri Lanka is a neighbour and part of the SAARC, and maintaining friendly relations (with it) will augur well for India," he had said.

Sri Lanka unequivocally condemned the recent terrorist attack on the Indian Consulate in Herat Province, Western Afghanistan. The targeting of a diplomatic mission is a matter of serious concern that should draw the attention of the wider international community, and underscores Sri Lanka's consistent call for concerted and decisive action to combat the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

It is fortuitous that there were no casualties among the Consulate staff The need of the hour is to eradicate terrorism from the South Asian region.

The election of Modi and the BJP's landslide victory could be used to achieve that goal with the expertise from Sri Lanka. With the leaders of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka meeting in New Delhi tomorrow, this is the best chance to give new hope for peace and stability in the region. Sri Lanka will sincerely extend its fullest support to strengthen brotherhood among South Asian nations.