Tamil chief minister refuses to be part of Rajapaksa’s team for Modi’s swearing-in ceremony

In a snub to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, chief minister of Sri Lanka's Tamil-majority Northern Province C Wigneswaran has rejected the invitation to be part of a delegation that will attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in on May 26, saying such collusion would give a false impression to the international community. 

In a letter to Lanka's external affairs minister GL Peiris, Wigneswaran said: "I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your invitation. Primarily because acceptance would indicate that there exists a strong co-operative spirit between the centre and the province, when in fact, the people of north are engulfed in a climate of fear on account of the continued presence of the military. I would be guilty of facilitating tokenism were I to accept such an invitation." He said he has already sent his best wishes to Modi through the Indian high commissioner in Sri Lanka. 

Wigneswaran became chief minister after his Tamil National Alliance (TNA) swept the elections to the Northern Province council held in September last year. "It is an auspicious sign that the historic election of Modi has revived in the government of Sri Lanka a sense of co-operation and partnership towards the Northern Province. Given the untold hardships of the people of Northern Province and the strictures on the functioning of the provincial council, this is indeed welcome," Wigneswaran said. 

This could add fuel to the renewed anti-Rajapaksa rhetoric in Tamil Nadu, where regional parties, including some BJP allies, have strongly opposed Modi's decision to invite the Lankan President for the swearing-in ceremony, along with leaders of other Saarc countries.
Meanwhile, Rajapaksa thanked Modi for the invite. "Thank you for the invitation to attend your swearing-in ceremony. I look forward to being there," tweeted Rajapaksa, who returned to Colombo after a visit to China. 

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran said that there was no invitation from the Indian government or Modi's office for Wigneswaran. "We have refused only the invitation of Rajapaksa. Even five years after of the end of war, the Rajapaksa government is not willing for a dignified settlement for Tamils," Premachandran told TOI. He said due to international pressure, Rajapaksa is trying to show the Indian government and rest of the world that his government is having a good rapport with the Northern Province. Premachandran said TNA leaders and Wigneswaran are likely to meet Modi separately after he assumes office.

Kilde: The Times of India