Indian MP Denied Entry in Sri Lanka

An Indian MP, Mr.Thirumavalavan, went to Sri Lanka to attend the funeral of Mrs.Parvathi Amma, Prabhakaran’s mother who died 3 days ago. But, he was stopped by officials at Colombo airport. They said that he cannot enter into Sri Lanka.

Mr. Thiruma asked officials the reason for the denial of permission. Senior officer replied that he cannot tell the specific reason for that and urged him to leave Sri Lanka by the same plane in which the MP arrived. Mr. Thiruma said he will leave Lanka only after officials tell him the reason. He also demanded officials to inform him the reason for the denial in a written letter. Mr.Thiruma also argued that he had been to Sri Lanka many times and said recently he came to Colombo along with 10 Indian MPs to examine the rehabilitation work which is going on there since Eelam war. That time Indian MPs met Sri Lankan president Mr.Rajapakse and discussed about the progress in rehabilitation works.

However, Sri Lankan officials did not respond and were very much keen on sending him back. After some hours of argument Mr.Thiruma left Colombo for India. After arriving in Chennai, he launched a protest along with hundreds of his party members in front of Sri Lankan High Commission. He said, “I am a member of Indian parliament. If Sri Lankan government didn’t want an ordinary Thiruma to enter, that is fine. They should have permitted MP Thiruma to enter. But it didn’t. It was a great insult to Indian government.” He urged the ministry of external affairs to condemn SL government’s disrespectful act.

My comments

Doesn’t Indian government feel that Sri Lankan government’s act should be condemned?

Indian government’s silence on the issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen being killed by SL Navy provoked the entire Tamilians. If New Delhi continues to remain silent then the Tamilians will start hating our federal set up to the core. To avoid this, the Indian government should act immediately.

If SL doesn’t stop attacking Tamil fishermen, India should reconsider its relationship with SL .

The government should also ensure the safety of Tamil Nadu fishermen while they are fishing on the sea which lies between India and SL.

Like the government felt that the act of security officers who checked an Indian ambassador at an airport in USA was insult to India, it should treat Mr.Thiruma incident as the same and must force SL government to apologize.