Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said on Thursday that invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Mr Modi’s swearing-in ceremony could be avoided.
“Particularly, with regard to the relationship of the new Central government with the government of Tamil Nadu, it would have been better if this ill-advised move had been avoided”, she said.
Ms Jayalalithaa said she wished to bring to the notice of the new government the “deep anguish” caused by the invitation.
Noting with dismay that Mr Rajapakse had accepted Mr Modi’s invitation, the AIADMK supremo said in a statement here that the sentiments of Tamils, living in India and abroad, were well known on the Lankan issue.
A change of regime at Delhi “in no way alters the existing strained relations between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka,” Ms Jayalalithaa said.
She recalled the various resolutions passed in the state Assembly demanding economic embargo on Sri Lanka and investigation of its war crimes.
While the UPA government “chose to ignore” the resolutions, there was now hope that the new government would be “sympathetic to the cause of Tamils and friendly to the state of Tamil Nadu,” she said.
Sources in the Congress on Thursday said, the Congress president had sent a letter of congratulation to the Prime Minister-designate on Tuesday.
