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As India extended its credit lines to assist Sri Lanka during the ongoing economic crisis, it has also actively pursuing development projects to secure geopolitical and bilateral interests in its backyard.

In recent weeks, the neighbouring country has also been careful to assert that the extension of it credit lines should not be perceived by the people as supporting the Sri Lankan government which is under tremendous pressure to vacate office.  

This week, Raakesh Natraj, the Indian Consul General based in Jaffna Consul visited three islets off the Northern peninsula – Delft, Nainathivu and Analaithivu – where India agreed to setup renewable energy projects after it vehemently opposed the move of allowing a Chinese company to gain a
foothold in the North on the basis of ‘security concerns.’

After the Sunday Times exclusively reported Indian concerns on the projects in February last year, a fresh Cabinet paper was submitted to setup power plants under the Indian grant facility. The three islets are located in close proximity to the Indian coast.

Earlier, the US$ 12 million projects were awarded to MS/Sinosar-Etechwin Joint Venture in China.

Local Divisional Secretaries and officials accompanied the Indian delegation during the field inspection of lands that are going to be utilised for the projects.

Dollar-starved Lanka’s envoy in botched rent plea

A story doing the rounds in the foreign office is how a Sri Lankan ambassador serving in the West had asked the foreign office of the host country if it could pay the rent for the building housing the Sri Lankan mission.

This was after Colombo had sent instructions to shut down that mission due to the foreign exchange crisis, which meant the ambassador returning home.

Not too certain if this was an official request or a private one, the foreign office of the host country signalled its envoy in Colombo to double-check on the request.

It was only then that the brahmins in Colombo realised what had happened and told the envoy that no such request has been made by the Sri Lankan Government. These then, were the professionals handpicked to serve the current Government in 2019.

TN’s BJP President picks up points for politicking during recent visit

It seems Tamil Nadu’s Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP) President K. Annamalai who was invited by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) to take part in its May Day rally, picked up a couple of points for politicking back at home.

Opposing the TN government’s decision of involving itself in running religious places including Hindu temples with dedicated trustee councils, the regional BJP president gave an example from Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna, following his visit to the temple this week.

The BJP President opposed any state involvement in running religious shrines. He said there is one single family-run-trustee of the historic Nallur temple and pointed out that efficient practices have been in place for decades.

The minimum monetary donation to Nallur temple is still one rupee and there is no VIP treatment for anyone including any Head of State to engage in poojas, unlike in certain temples in Tamil Nadu where special ticket prices were introduced for VIPs.

He also asked why the same cannot be implemented in TN temples as well. Responding to the rhetoric of the regional BJP president, a local devotee said the Nallur temple was not setup based on Vedha prescriptions, so it can be run accordingly, while most Hindu temples are run by trustee boards with generous donations from people.

Ranil under fire: Blames “Tweeps”, TNA MP, counter protest ensues afterwards

Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Prime Minister and sole Parliamentarian representing the grand old party — the United National Party — came under social media criticism in recent weeks for allegedly cosying up to the Rajapaksa regime and advocating for an interim government, while the Opposition wants to go for fresh polls.

During Parliamentary sessions this week, he raised concerns about his security as social media users started to protest in front of his private residence at Fifth Lane in Colombo. He alleged in Parliament that certain “Tweeps” are behind the move while condemning Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam for openly accusing him of working with the Government to defeat the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) candidate for the Deputy Speaker’s post this week.

The protest did go ahead with a few dozens of people participating. But a counter-protest was also staged by supporters of the former Prime Minister as well, shortly after the earlier protest began. The protest took an ugly turn when a protester who was supposed to join the earlier one (against) got late and joined the later one (in support of) without knowing that the first protest had already concluded.

Once he realised he was in the wrong group, he started protesting against the former Premier. Those who gathered in support surrounded him and a tense situation ensued. Police officials who were deployed quickly intervened to avoid an ugly scene.

Siyambalapitiya: Resigned. Remained. Re-contested. Re-elected. Resigned again

Looking at Parliamentary proceedings these days while the country is witnessing arguably the worst economic crisis since Independence, anyone can understand the people’s outcry of not just calling for the resignation of the President and the Cabinet of ministers but all 225 ‘honourable’ members of Parliament.

The Parliamentary sessions hardly contribute anything significant relating to government policy decisions, economy, ethnic harmony and the well-being of the people. Instead, they have showcased politicians hurling insults at each other and saying what crosses their minds without giving any deep thoughts to the subject at hand.

Not to mention, the whole nation carefully follows what their elected representatives are doing in Parliament these days as public agitation has turned against the politicians.

One youth activist acknowledged this week, that he came to know of the existence of some of those MPs in the House only when their names were called to cast their votes during this week’s saga of electing a Deputy Speaker.

For a day’s sitting of Parliament, millions of taxpayers’ funds are spent to cover the overhead costs and other perks enjoyed by the MPs, including subsidised lunch and tea.

On Thursday, the House voted in favour of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Parliamentarian Ranjith Siyambalapitiya for the post of Deputy Speaker, securing 148 votes, two short of a two thirds majority, against Opposition member Imtiaz Barkeer Markar who received only 65 votes.

The irony of it is that Mr Siyambalapitiya was already Deputy Speaker. He resigned on April 3. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa then convinced him to remain in the seat and he said OK. He had to re-contest for the seat. He won and he resigned again. His second resignation letter. No wonder, the people are questioning the sanity of Parliamentarians. had some similar parts to the resignation letter he had sent earlier.

While Government and the Opposition members wash their dirty linen inside the sanctum santorum of the country’s legislature, those against them are displaying their underwear in protest outside the premises. What a performance by Asia’s second oldest
Parliamentary democracy.

Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka’s rescue; PM’s office sends thank you letter

The Prime Minister’s Office dispatched a letter written in Tamil to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin this week, thanking him for the timely assistance of the Indian state government, through much needed essential items such as medicines during these testing times.

“I am thankful to you and the State of Tamil Nadu for not considering the current issue as another nation’s crisis, but a humanitarian issue,” the letter signed by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu state government announced that the assistance would be for people in the North, East and upcountry areas but it was Tamil elected representatives Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Mano Ganesan who said any assistance should be distributed to all Sri Lankan people – and not just to one community.

Appreciating the move, the TN Chief Minister told its state assembly that they are heartened to hear about the generosity of the Sri Lankan people, and that TN assistance would reach all affected people in the country. The Assembly also resolved to donate one month’s salary of every member to the relief campaign undertaken by the state government.

Last week, India’s External Affairs Minister responded to TN Chief Minister that the state government’s humanitarian assistance could be distributed through the Indian diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka.

Since the implementation of the bilingual policy was problematic in state institutions including the PM’s office, social media users demanded Sinhala translations of the letter. As usual, there has been no response from the office.