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Mano Ganesan to take Indian Tamils’ issues to Modi

23 Feb 2022

  • Document to outline political aspirations of Indian-origin Lankan Tamils   
Finalising a document with the political aspirations of Tamils of Indian origin in Sri Lanka, Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader and Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Opposition Parliamentarian Mano Ganesan said that the said document will be first handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and then sent to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  “Towards mainstreaming as full citizens in the Sri Lankan polity, the TPA and civil activists have finalised a document with the political aspirations of the Tamil people of Indian origin in Sri Lanka (Malayaha Thamils). The document would be submitted to all stakeholders,” Ganesan said in a Tweet yesterday (22).  In a statement to the media, Ganesan said: “The political, cultural, economic, and social spheres of our people should be brought into the Sri Lankan political and administrative structure. There are areas where large gaps remain where our people are sidelined, discriminated against, ignored, and disregarded in the national mainstream. This regretful reality should change. We will work with all parties including the Government to achieve our community’s Sri Lankan goal.” Adding that the document compiles grievances and remedy-related appeals, Ganesan said that it will be submitted to all stakeholders, beginning with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.  “Thereafter, we will submit it to Modi, as India is the signatory to the first three pacts entered into between the Leaders of Sri Lanka and India in 1954, 1964, and1974, which decided our lives. Further, we will take it up with the Government of the UK, which we believe has a large share in the set of obligations towards Indian-origin Tamil Sri Lankans.”  Furthermore, he said that the TPA will conduct talks with Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa, and plans to visit Tamil Nadu to meet its Chief Minister (CM) M.K. Stalin and other political parties.    Meanwhile, seven other Tamil political parties, led by the TNA wrote to Modi last month, requesting him to urge the Government of Sri Lanka to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The TNA further wrote to Stalin last week, where they requested direct engagement with Tamil Nadu in order to ensure that a new constitution in Sri Lanka would not affect the goal of the devolution of power to the Northern and Eastern Provinces.


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