Sep 06, 2012
It
is up to the Tamil Nadu government not only to provide security to visiting Sri
Lankans but to lower political temperatures as wellThere has been of late a disturbing trend in Tamil Nadu of people from Sri Lanka — both Sinhala and Tamils — being intimidated and even attacked. While the narrative has been building up for some time, on Tuesday this week 184 Catholic pilgrims visiting the Vailankinni church in the Nagapattinam area were forced to take an early flight home when buses carrying them were stoned by an extremist Tamil organisation.
This brings little credit either to Tamil Nadu or to India, which prides itself on being a tolerant society.
In the light of what has been happening, it is logical for Sri Lanka to issue an advisory to its citizens not to travel to Tamil Nadu unless doing so is unavoidable. Naturally, this does not reflect well on this country. To allay Colombo’s fears, it is up to the Tamil Nadu government primarily not only to provide security to visiting Sri Lankan nationals but to lower political temperatures as well. Chauvinist organisations tend to go overboard only when they believe that the government of the day will look the other way.
Be that as it may, if President Mahinda Rajapakse’s programme to visit Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh later this month to inaugurate a Buddhist university there is firmed up, New Delhi must put potential troublemakers on notice. India is a diverse country. Many here are of the same ethnic stock (and speak the same language) as some citizens in our neighbouring countries. But this cannot be permitted to become a factor in foreign policy. Neighbours, too, are expected to keep cross-border sensitivities in mind.
It is a pity that lately Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa has not given thought to the broader dimensions of our foreign relations. She has been speaking against the training of Sri Lankan armed forces personnel in India, especially in institutions located in her state, although this is under a formal agreement between the two nations. The visit of a Sri Lankan schoolboys’ football team was handled with poor grace. In another era, the AIADMK chief had opposed the LTTE and its Eelam concept, but curiously she now engages in competitive populism with the DMK — which is a part of the UPA at the Centre — in the post-LTTE era. The UPA leadership, too, needs to signal the DMK to tone down.
India and Sri Lanka have ancient ties. Historically, Colombo’s distorted policies towards its Tamil minority has upset all Indians. President Rajapakse’s government must seize the moment to genuinely devolve power to the Tamil areas.
But while these larger issues are in process, it will hurt the interests of both nations if people to people contacts are brought under strain by thoughtless actions.
