Under Premier Modi's Government:
India - Sri Lanka relations will reach new heights - Dr Subramanian Swamy
The Indian foreign policy is best served with close relations with
neighbours and India does not have any dispute with Sri Lanka and
therefore will not endorse any foreign intervention in Sri Lankan
affairs, said Dr Subramanian Swamy, Former. Cabinet Minister and
Chairman of BJP Committee on Strategic Action and Parliamentarian,
addressing the third day sessions in the ‘Defence Seminar - 2014’ in
Colombo.
Spelling out his views on the topic, assigned to him, ‘India - Sri
Lanka relations’ before a packed audience in Colombo, Dr Swamy, a think
tank and recognised for his scholarship underlined that in Sri Lanka
there does not exist a ‘an ethnic’ problem but a ‘linguistic’ one.
Giving a bit of advice to the Tamil community, Dr Swamy queried the
wisdom of Tamil people's psyche. ‘When the President invites the Chief
Minister to join him to greet Indian Prime Minister, he shunned without
giving any reasons. On the other hand, the same people voted for Fonseka
who was the then Commander for so called ‘genocide’ against Tamil people
against President Rajapaksa in the last elections. I can't understand
Tamil attitude and it looks like the whole perception has been built on
the need for a ‘separate entity’ and Indian policy is based on capacity
building and our values because it has been found that Sinhala and Tamil
have the same DNA. The South Indian political polemics is the only group
who are making this noise.”
“India's foreign policy is very clear and will not agree to any
foreign power interfering in Sri Lanka's internal matters, nor it will
intervene in any such regional context either. India's ‘national
interests’ are the most prioritised and India will not come forward to
help one particular ethnic group alone.”
He also said that every segment in Sri Lanka should stick to that
policy. “Indian people, except for a few extremist groups, have
overwhelmingly voted against any form of terrorism and it was evident in
all recent election results.
Without subjecting to any pressures of factional groups, the birth of
a new strong government with clear majority was warmed on those
principles and cooperation within our inter states as well as intra
states, is much more stronger than ever before. As some non-state sector
organisations claim, had there been a genocide how could they dare to
vote for the rival of President Rajapaksa during the elections?, Dr
Subramanian Swami questioned.
Claiming that the decision taken by late Mrs Indira Gandhi, the
former Prim-Minister of India to give training to LTTE cadres, was a
historic blunder as told to him (Dr Swami) by her son, late Rajiv Gandhi
whose birthday falls today (Aug 18), Dr Swami further added that Jaffna
people and intellectuals with whom he maintains close relations admit to
the colossal infrastructure and development taking place in their areas.
“During my recent visits, many Northern mothers said that the people
now know what time their children would return home safely after schools
and a trust of that degree has now evolved in those areas.”
Responding to allegations that Sri Lanka is much intimate with China,
Dr Swamy pointed out that it was India's mistake earlier and such vacuum
left by India was filled by China's offer of assistance. “President
Rajapaksa first invited India to commence harbour construction in
Hambantota but due to Tamil Nadu compulsions, India did not take part in
it. Now, China has built a massive harbour for Sri Lanka with all modern
facilities.”
Similarly, Dr Subramanian Swamy stressed the need to give more teeth
to the SAARC and ASEAN as umbrella organisations unifying all countries
in the Asian Region for better economic prospects in the future.
President Rajapaksa after his election in 2005 took a bold decision
to ‘fight to the finish’ after several attempts to bring them into
negotiations failed.
In reply to a question from the participants, Dr Swamy pointed out
that President Rajapaksa through the elections and provincial councils,
has given all what they asked for. In the case of Police powers being
devolved, even in India there are states where Police power has not been
devolved. He also answering another question as regards poaching in the
Indian waters, said that the Sri Lankan Government has released all
fishermen except their mechanised boats who are owned by rich Indian
businessmen who force Indian fishermen to poach in Sri Lankan waters for
bigger harvests since the fish harvest in the Indian section is fast
dwindling.
It is time that Tamils in Sri Lanka also become stake holders in the
Sri Lankan polity and work for the betterment of the country like, how
India with all diverse cultures are running, although the Hindus make 85
percent of the population.
We respect Sri Lanka's sovereignty for conduct of their foreign
affairs.
Ours is a society based on cultures and values which are the founding
bases of our own nations. This is a distinctive feature, different from
those of the west or elsewhere. In that case, China too is based on
their values and morals on which our harmony can be built upon, he said.
A new Indian government of Prime Minister Modi is not fettered by the
past compulsions of Indian politics. Therefore, love and support for a
united sibling nation of Sri Lanka is assured.
You need not be apprehensive about hot heads in Sri Lanka and in
Tamil Nadu. We Indians are with you Sri Lankans to ensure that violent
evil forces of the past do not rear their ugly and violent heads again.
The Narendra Modi government in Delhi will, I discern from available
authoritative documents, approach the Indo- Sri Lanka relations within
the following new framework:
India will regard all its SAARC neighbours, including Sri Lanka, as
of priority concern in bilateral relations, with due regard for their
special sensitivities and internal issues.
India will not try to fetter the sovereignty of any neighbouring
state in its dealings with its internal problems and in its
international relations. will not support in any issue of the UN
Charter, including in matters of human rights, an intrusive probe into
the conduct of a duly elected democratic government.
India will always place its own national interest above any of its
internal provincial, linguistic, or religious demands in framing its
foreign policy and defend any of its SAARC neighbours from any terrorist
insurgency if such a help is sought. India foster economic union, freer
travel, and cultural bonding with its neighbours, and with East Asia in
general.
Courtesy : Army Media Unit |