MODIFY 13A TO GIVE CM MORE POWERS : SWAMY
The proposal must emerge indigenously in Sri Lanka after democratic consultations with all stakeholders, none of whom shall have a veto and adopted by the Sri Lanka Parliament by way of a resolution or if necessary by a constitutional amendment
The leader of the Janatha Party in India Dr. Sri Subramanium Swamy urged the Sri Lankan government to modify the 13th Amendment to the Constitution while noting that some powers such as maintaining public law and order must be given to the Chief Ministers.
He also said that the people of India had recognized the victory achieved by the Sri Lankan armed forces over the LTTE. Dr. Swamy said that no one should dilute the significance of the victory as it was a historical landmark in world history. He maintaned that no proposals for reconciliation in Sri Lanka from abroad, whether from India, the United Nations or from any ‘European busy bodies’ would be appropriate in this instance. “The proposal must emerge indigenously in Sri Lanka after democratic consultations with all stakeholders, none of whom shall have a veto and adopted by the Sri Lanka Parliament by way of a resolution or if neces- sary by a constitutional amendment,” he said.
Speaking on the final day of the second international defence seminar organized by the Sri Lanka Army, Dr. Swamy said that the credit for the victory over terrorism naturally must belong to the political leadership of the country led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He said that from the beginning the LTTE was a threat to India as they were involved in smug- gling drugs, arms and was also involved in carrying out contract killings. Dr. Swamy said that Sri Lanka thus must build on the historic victory achieved in 2009 against the LTTE. “Let me assure you that for us patriotic Indians, national interests come first and if state, sectarian or regional interests clash, then it is the latter provincial interests that will be sacrificed,” he said. “I can tell you with conviction today that the Indian people wish Sri Lanka well. We in India in fact feel kinship with you Sri Lankans, emotionally, historically, religiously, linguistically and also for the benefit of our mutual national security,” he said.
He highlighted in his speech that an overwhelming majority of the Indian people disapproved of the Indian Government’s decision to support the US sponsored Resolution in the UN Commission on Human Rights on the alleged extrajudicial killings carried out in the final stages of the insurgency of the LTTE.