Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has sought a report on the recent article and graphic published on the Defence Ministry’s website that was derogatory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Mr. Rajapaksa said: “As a government, we express our regret over the incident,” according to a statement from his office on Tuesday.
Speaking at a monthly meeting with the Editors of Sri Lankan media, he responded to a question on the article posted on the website of the Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and Urban Development about the letters written by the Chief Minister to the Prime Minister.
Head of National Intelligence Maj. Gen. (retd.) Kapila Hendawitharana, also present at the meeting, said the article had been published “without proper authorisation” and upon notification, it was immediately taken down.
On Friday, the Defence Ministry issued an ‘unqualified apology’ in the wake of the controversy. The Ministry said the views of Shenali D. Waduge or those expressed in the graphic did not reflect those of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa or of the government.
On Monday, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the government would summon the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, and the matter had been taken up with the Sri Lankan government.
Political parties and members of the Tamil film industry have condemned the article.
