'Udayan in pseudo analysis on diplomatic relations'

Ridma Dissanayake and Rakshana Sriyantha

The Udayan newspaper has published an article under the title "Condescension of Indian Politics and Failure of Indian Diplomacy". It criticizes the Sri Lanka's closest friend, India, while destroying the dignity of India.

The Udayan has said "Though India tries to be friendly with Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has signed important agreements with Chinese government while visiting China. He had held discussions with the Chinese political leaders, which can be more important for the economic sectors of Sri Lanka and China. This shows that Sri Lanka has a close friendship with China and it is more entrenched than the friendship between Sri Lanka and India."

The newspaper said "the group of the Bharathiya Janatha Party who visited Sri Lanka under the Leadership of Ravi Shankar Prasadh had not met any civilian, religious leader or any other responsible person for human rights. They have appreciated development projects in the Northern Province after taking part in discussions organized by government ministers."

"President Rajapaksa has said that the solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka should not be an external one, it should be an internal solution. This is another reason to say that Indian diplomacy has failed", the Udayan newspaper said.

Commenting, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Mullativu District MP S. Kanakaratna said "the friendship between India and Sri Lanka has a long history. The greatest son of India, the Buddha also came to Sri Lanka three times. It paved the way for Sri Lanka to have a great civilization. There is a huge cultural and religious bond between Sri Lanka and India", he said.

Preeminent leader of the Indian freedom struggle Mahathna Gandhi's concepts and ideas have also made a positive effect on the Sri Lankan society.

President Rajapaksa has visited both India and China recently. He had signed agreements and discussed various matters with both governments. India provided grants for the development of Sri Lanka.

Such incidents provide evidences to prove that there is not any aloofness between Sri Lanka and India, he said.

Sri Lanka is maintaining close friendships with both India and China. The Udayan tried to create a bad image of Sri Lanka from the Indian point of view.

The Udayan has hardly said that the Bharathiya Janatha Party appreciated the development process in the Northern Province. But that is the truth. There is nothing to criticize. The ideas propagated by the Udayan newspaper are false.

They should be contemned, Kanakarathna said.