HOPE DEMOCRATIC VALUES WOULD BE RESPECTED: INDIA

In a veiled message to Sri Lankan President Mai-thripala Sirisena that it was unhappy with recent political developments in Sri Lanka, India finally broke its silence on Sunday, saying it hoped the “democratic values and the constitutional process will be respected.”

New Delhi added that it is “closely following the recent political developments in Sri Lanka.” This comes two days after the Sri Lankan President sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM and appointed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place apart from suspending Parliament on Saturday. New Delhi also reacted on a day when, as per reports from Colombo, the Sri Lankan Parliament’s speaker Karu Jayasuriya recognised Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s Prime Minister, saying he has “obtained a mandate to secure democracy and good governance.”

In a statement, the Ministry of external affairs (MEA) said, “India is closely following the recent political developments in Sri Lanka. As a democracy and a close friendly neighbour, we hope that democratic values and the constitutional process will be respected. We will continue to extend our developmental assistance to the friendly people of Sri Lanka.”

The sudden sacking of Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe by President Maithripala Sirisena and him being replaced by the pro-China former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has been seen as a setback.