Monday, 26 May 2014 00:00
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HISTORY will be created today. President Mahinda Rajapaksa along with other south Asian leaders are in New Delhi to attend the swearing in of Narendra Modi as Indian’s new Prime Minister. As the head of a regional super power Modi’s actions will leave a lasting impact on Sri Lanka’s peace and stability.
Making the best of the event Rajapaksa is expected to hold bilateral talks with Modi, along with at least two of the other foreign leaders attending the ceremony. These leaders are tipped to be Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom who will be among eight foreign leaders attending the swearing-in ceremony. The other foreign leaders at the ceremony will be Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutan Prime Minister Shereen Tapge, Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Nepal Prime Minster Sushil Koirala, and the Bangladesh’s Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury.
Rajapaksa’s delegation will include External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, Live Stock and Rural Community Development Minister Arumugam Thondaman, EAM Monitoring MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena and EAM Secretary Kshenuka Seneviratne.
Analysts are hopeful the invitation extended to President Rajapaksa augurs well for Indo-Lanka relations and showed that the new Government’s foreign policies would not be influenced by regional interests within India. But this could very well turn into wishful thinking with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, who swept out Modi’s Baratha Janatha Party (BJP) from her province with consummate ease, refusing to attend his swearing in ceremony.
International media were amok with the news that sources close to Jayalalithaa had revealed the decision was made due to Rajapaksa’s presence. Jayalalithaa herself told media the move was “unfortunate” and “deeply upset” the people of Tamil Nadu. Not stopping at her absence it was reported that no representative from her party would be present at Rashtrapathi Bavan.
While Colombo would be happy that Jayalalithaa has lost clout in New Delhi as Modi can now govern without coalition pressure this does not necessarily guarantee an end for Tamil Nadu influence. Modi cannot very well ignore such a large part of his population with impunity. Many experts have voiced the view that Modi will not veer significantly from the path adopted by the Congress in its treatment of the Sri Lankan Government and would continue pushing for a political solution to the Tamil issue.
Moreover Modi is seen as a conciliatory Prime Minister who wants to step up engagement on the international stage and stronger relations with the US and European Union are central to these advancements. India cannot aim to become a player on the global stage by ignoring human rights issues on its doorstep. It will be a challenge to the new administration to balance Tamil aspirations while dealing with an increasing China-embracing Sri Lankan Government.
Rajapaksa is certainly attempting to start out on the right foot by freeing any Indian fishermen caught poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters in the run up to the swearing in ceremony. Colombo is also attempting to present a united front by inviting Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran to accompany the Government delegation. Modi will also start with a soft touch.
