‘TN incident doesn’t reflect Indo-SL bonds’

Dehiowita Spl Correspondent

The two recent unfortunate incidents involving assaults on Sri Lankan Buddhist monks in Tamil Nadu did not reflect the strong people to people bonds which are integral to the close historical and cultural ties between the two countries, Indian High Commissioner Asoka K Kantha said.

He said so when an interfaith group from the Inter Religious Peace Foundation, Dharmasakthi Foundation and Saumia Youth Foundation headed by Ven Pandit Madamagamma Assaji Thera met the Indian High Commissioner at his office recently.

The group included Ven Palekanada Rathnasara Thera, Ven Galagama Dammiswara Thera, Ven Talegoda Ratnasara Thera, Dharmaraja Kurukkal, M Makkarine and S P Anthonimuthu.

The High Commissioner said India in consultation with the state governments has taken all measures to ensure the safety and well-being of Sri Lankan visitors to India including Tamil Nadu.

People to people contacts constitute one of the fundamental pillars on which the edifice of bilateral relationship rests, he said.

He said nearly 250,000 Sri Lankan nationals visited India and over 175,000 Indian nationals visited Sri Lanka in 2012. Sri Lanka's bonds with India are historic and go back to many centuries, he added.

The Chief Co-ordinator of the Interfaith Group S P Anthonimuthu said they hope to visit Tamil Nadu and have direct dialogue with multi-religious leaders there to ease tension.