Seeking to assuage the feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu opposed to India’s participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting meet in Sri Lanka, the Centre on Wednesday detailed its relief and rehabilitation efforts for minority Tamils in the war-torn island nation.
Print advertisements issued by Ministry of External Affairs listed out implementation of “Indian Assisted Projects for Tamil people in Sri Lanka since 2009” and recalled that even before the “30-year armed conflict” came to an end, India had sent emergency relief assistance for internally displaced Tamils.
The statistics detailing Indian efforts in Sri Lanka were accompanied by pictures of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid meeting recently elected Chief Minister of Northern Province C V Wigneswaran and the Minister giving away certificates to beneficiaries under an Indian housing project among others.
“India’s development projects in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka now encompass virtually all sectors of economy, including housing, infrastructure development, education, health, agriculture, fisheries, industry, handicrafts, culture and sports,” it said.
External Affairs Ministry’s full-page advertisement comes a day after Tamil Nadu Assembly expressed “regret” over India’s participation in CHOGM, with the country’s delegation being led by Mr. Khurshid himself even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has chosen to skip the event in the backdrop of stiff opposition against his participation in the multi-country summit.
