Analysis
The Sri Lanka-Tamil Nadu Feud
Both the major political parties in Tamil Nadu are trying to do things which they should have done much earlier. Since DMK raised objections against presence of Sri Lanka 's soldiers under training in Tamil Nadu, the AIDMK supremo took a stronger stand against Sri Lanka stating that the two Defence officers of Sri Lanka under training in India should be sent back. She also called for the cancellation of a Football match between a Sri Lankan school team and a Chennai team. To cap the insult to Sri Lankan people, a bus carrying Sri Lanka Christian pilgrims was attacked in Tamil Nadu. It was good that no Sri Lankan was hurt and they could return to their country safely.
For almost sixty years the Sri Lankan Tamils were facing atrocities in Sri Lanka but neither the Govt of India nor the successive Govts in Tamil Nadu cared a bit for their bretheren and considered it as their own problem. The Sri Lankan press and the people have taken these activities in Tamil Nadu with a bitter taste as they feel that there is nothing wrong between the people of Tamil Nadu and the Sri Lanka who have had cordial relations since both country's independence. They argue that though a Sri Lankan hurt the former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his shoulder, it was a Tamilian who killed him.
The Tamils are a grieved party all along but what the Govt is doing now is too late as no Sri Lankan Govt is going to undo anything which would please Tamils or Tamil Nadu govt. Rather it would hurt the Tamils and the Indian Govt. badly. The more the Govt of India starts displeasing Sri Lanka the more the Sri Lankans would move in to the arms of China.
During the Sri Lanka's war against LTTE, it was China, Russia and Pakistan which helped her with arms and other logistic support. We all know the IPKF gave a bad show and came back bruised and berated. China has already a pretty good presence in Pakistan (where it is considered a real friend overriding the cultural relations between the two people), is well camped in Mynamar, has good relations with Govt. of Bangladesh where it is believed that Hasina Shaikh would be toppled in 2014 elections by more anti India party, Nepal is within whispering distance of Chinese arms and feels that India has unduly big brother attitude. It is high time that our Govt. at the Centre with its now unpopular PM does take the things into its own hand and calls for an end to its dependance on regional parties for national affairs. In the past the Govts led by Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi and even A.B. Vajpayee laid great stress on international bonhomie and goodwill. Now it is reported in the Sri Lankan press that India now is most disliked neighbour.
The Tamil Nadu politicians now want that the MP Govt should not allow the President of Sri Lanka to visit Sanchi (Distt.Vidisha) for laying the foundation of the Buddhist Centre. India has big Buddhist religious enclaves in Bihar and now MP and huge number of Buddhists from all South Asian countries visit India bringing lot of good will and affection. Buddhism has advocated middle path which can be a good philosphy for Tamil Nadu Govt for some time, atleast.
05-Sep-2012
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Suresh Mandan
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