Sri Lankan nationals protest against ‘undue influence’ from India on Colombo
10 Jun 2014 10:33 PM IST
President Rajapaksa's allies are irked by the Indian government implementing the 13th amendment
Sri Lankan pro-government supporters representing Federation of National Organizations burn an effigy of Tamil Nadu state Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalitha during a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday,
Colombo: Hundreds of Sri Lankan nationalists on Tuesday staged a demonstration near the Indian High Commission and burnt an effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to protest against the "undue influence" from India on Colombo to implement the thirteenth amendment.
Activists from the Nationalist Organisations gathered opposite the Indian mission carrying portraits of the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jayalalithaa.
Protesters later burnt an effigy of Jayalalithaa. "We are here to protest against the undue influence exerted by Jayalalithaa on the Indian government to act against Sri Lanka", Dr Wasantha Bandara, a spokesman of the protesters said.
Bengamuve Nalaka, a Buddhist monk said Jayalalithaa was acting at the behest of the Western powers who are anti Sri Lanka.
The nationalist allies of President Rajapaksa have been irked by the new Indian government's insistence on implementing the thirteenth amendment.
Sri Lanka's thirteenth amendment was introduced in 1987 as a result of direct Indian intervention to try and resolve the ethnic impasse in the island.
"We want to tell India that all communities could leave in peaceful co-existence here. The thirteenth amendment could upset the hard earned peace after 30 years of war," Nalaka said.
Sri Lanka last week had said that despite a call by India for full implementation of the thirteenth amendment, no police powers could be granted to the provinces.
Colombo also said the granting of police and land control powers to the Tamil controlled northern province could be the stepping stone for the creation of a separate Tamil state.
( Source : PTI )
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