Indian MPS’ visit to strengthen relations
A 14-member Indian allparty delegation from both Houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, is to visit Sri Lanka after the National New Year holidays.
It will be one of the major political developments between the two countries since bilateral relations took a dip after India voted against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva last month.
Indo-sri Lanka relations have been strained over the minority Tamil issue in Sri Lanka, and India's support initially for the secessionist movement in the North and East of the country. In recent times, there is friction over what the Indian side claim is 'historic fishing rights' in the Palk Strait that separates the two countries, but Sri Lanka sees the Indian claim as "poaching". Several fishermen from either side keep getting arrested and locked up in jails on both sides of the Strait.
The Indian parliamentary delegation will be led by Opposition Leader Susmita Swaraj of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and will include MPS from the Tamil Nadu-based Dravida Munnetra Kalazam (DMK), a party headed by the vociferous anti-sri Lanka former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. Incumbent Chief Minister Jayalalitha Jayaram's All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kalazam (AIADMK) has so far not nominated any MP for the visit, but a place is being kept for the party.
The India delegation includes Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj (Bharatiya Janata Party); M. Krishnaswamy (Lok Sabha, Congress);
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Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva last month.
Indo-sri Lanka relations have been strained over the minority Tamil issue in Sri Lanka, and India's support initially for the secessionist movement in the North and East of the country. In recent times, there is friction over what the Indian side claim is 'historic fishing rights' in the Palk Strait that separates the two countries, but Sri Lanka sees the Indian claim as "poaching". Several fishermen from either side keep getting arrested and locked up in jails on both sides of the Strait.
The Indian parliamentary delegation will be led by Opposition Leader Susmita Swaraj of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and will include MPS from the Tamil Nadu-based Dravida Munnetra Kalazam (DMK), a party headed by the vociferous anti-sri Lanka former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. Incumbent Chief Minister Jayalalitha Jayaram's All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kalazam (AIADMK) has so far not nominated any MP for the visit, but a place is being kept for the party.
The visit - on the invitation of the Sri Lankan Government was earlier planned for November last year but postponed. Last month, a heated debate took place in the Indian Lower House (Lok Sabha) on Sri Lanka's human rights record which was up for scrutiny at the UNHRC meeting in Geneva. After much deliberation, India eventually voted in support of the US- sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka. Pressure from the ruling Congress party's coalition partner, the DMK, and the AIADMK Chief Minister to vote against Sri Lanka was known to be a contributory factor for the decision.
During the six day visit to the country, the Indian parliamentary delegation is due to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa, External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. They will visit India-funded projects in the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern provinces and make a visit to Parliament House at Sri JayawardanapuraKotte.