Sirisena’s somersault raises questions

The apparent volte face by Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena calling up Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the ‘malafide reports’ in a section of the media about him alleging an assassination attempt on his life by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) were ‘utterly baseless and false’ is surprising indeed. That he had ostensibly told his cabinet colleagues a few hours prior that there was such an attempt and that Modi was not aware of it adds a macabre touch to the drama. There can be little doubt that Indo-Sri Lankan relations would have been soured had Sirisena not retracted but is the retraction credible or is it an afterthought based on saner counsel?That Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was all set to visit New Delhi and meet with Modi to find ways to speed up Indiabacked projects makes the reports look even more bizarre.

Sirisena went on to say that the reports seemed intended to create misunderstanding between him and Modi as well as damage relations between the two countries. If this be so, what is Sirisena driving at? Is this a reflection of political divisions within Sri Lanka or is there a foreign power that is playing truant? The denial may clear the air for the time being but doubts are bound to linger. Can the Lankan President’s denial that he had made the statement on an assassination bid on him be taken at face value? Is there more to the fact that while an assassination was intended, Modi was not made aware of it?