TN lawmaker appeals centre to withdraw invitation to Sri Lankan President

An appeal was made to the Centre by the lawmakers and political parties from Tamil Nadu, regarding the withdrawal of the invitation to the newly elected Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Lawmakers and political parties from Tamil Nadu on Wednesday appealed to the Centre to withdraw the invitation to Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to visit India on November 29.

Immediately after Rajapaksa's victory in the just-concluded presidential election in the island nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the invitation to him to visit India.

"We have demanded that Government of India should reconsider its decision of inviting Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to visit India," said Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader D Ravikumar to ETV Bharat.

Accusing Gotabhaya Rajapaksa of his involvement in genocide in Sri Lanka, Ravikumar also raised the issue in the Lok Sabha.

In his speech, Ravikumar said that Sri Lanka has elected a person accused of war crimes as its new President.

"He (Gotabhaya Rajapaksa) has already declared that (during his election campaign) if he wins, he won't recognise an agreement, the government made with the UN Human Rights Council to investigate alleged war crimes during the nation's civil war...in this situation how an invitation be extended to him," said Ravikumar.

Political leaders from Tamil Nadu including VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan and MDMK chief Vaiko have raised their concern regarding justice for Tamils in Sri Lanka following Rajapaksa's election.

Rajapaksa, the wartime defence chief oversaw the most violent phase of the Sri Lankan civil war, which witnessed the deaths of thousands of Tamil civilians during the Sri Lankan army's offence against LTTE. He was also credited in wiping out LTTE.

The VCK is organising a protest demonstration on November 23 in Chennai demanding the withdrawal of the invitation to the Sri Lankan President.

A day after Gotabaya Rajapaksa's sworn in as the new President of Sri Lanka, External Affairs Minister S Jayashankar on Tuesday went to Sri Lanka and extended the invitation to Gotabaya Rajapaksa for his India visit.

The visit to India on November 29 would be the first visit of Rajapaksa after taking charge.