The Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, visiting India with a delegation of Parliamentarians, met the Indian President Pratibha Patil, at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and discussed the issues related to the both countries.
He visited India on August 1 on an invitation of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar and Speaker Rajapaksa was accompanied by Ministers Dinesh Gunawardena, W.D.J. Senewiratne, Risad Badhiutheen, Deputy Minister Muthu Sivalingam, MPs Rajiva Wijesinha, Malani Fonseka and Selvam Adaikkalanathan, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Kitulgoda and High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam.
The delegation interacted with the President and members of the India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Indian Parliament, several other MPs and Indian and foreign media personnel, at the Residence of the High Commissioner.
The visit, manifesting the strengthening of relations between the two countries at all levels, provided an opportunity for the delegation to brief their counterparts and the media on progress in resettlement, rehabilitation and restoration of livelihoods in the post conflict phase. The delegation discussed with their counterparts, the importance of regular interactions and visits to each other’s countries to share best practices and learn from each other.