The visiting Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo over breakfast today to deliver a message from a worried Indian government: that Sri Lanka should address the rehabilitation issue more effectively and expedite the long-pending devolution of power for the Tamils.
However, interestingly, with some strains creeping into the relationship between the Congress I and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) which is the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Mukherjee will not stop in Chennai to call on Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and brief him on his talks with the Sri Lankan President.
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The strains are largely on account of the corruption charges against DMK ministers in the central government. The Congress, which is the dominant partner in the coalition government, has asked the DMK to replace these ministers. The DMK has refused to comply.
While it is anxious to be seen as protecting the interests of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka, the Congress is equally clear that its policy should not be utilised by the DMK to further its own political interests.
“Now that the war against the LTTE is over, the situation demands more attention to the rehabilitation of the displaced Tamils in the island. In my meeting with President Rajapaksa, I will emphasize on this issue along with other bilateral matters,” Mr. Mukherjee told this correspondent on Friday.
Even as India supported Sri Lankas decisive war against the LTTE a few months ago, New Delhi has been putting pressure on the Lanka government to give some powers to the Tamils for self-governance. “A constitutional amendment is there, but so far little or nothing has happened on the ground. We want the Sri Lankan government to give administrative power to the Tamils in their areas of dominance,” Mr. Mukherjee said.
The Finance Minister will also convey the message of the Manmohan Singh government that Sri Lankan Tamils must have a rightful place in their country and the government should ensure that legitimate aspirations of minority communities including the Tamils are met.
“We want to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government that powers on issues like transport, education, health and roads are given to Tamils and they can have their own representatives in various government bodies in the island nation,” Mr. Mukherjee said.
The Indian Finance Minister arrived in Colombo yesterday for a two-day visit. It was the first visit by a senior minister after the Congress coalition was reelected last May.
Mr. Mukherjee also delivered the Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial lecture last evening. See speech on Page 11.
Mr. Mukherjee, who has held the defence and External Affairs portfolios in the last UPA government is one of the mpost important and senior political managers in the party. The moves made by him have the endorsement of the Congress party and its chief, Sonia Gandhi.
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