‘Anti-13 A’ And ‘Anti-Indian’ Gota’s India Visit Kept Under Wraps By Both Governments

December 1, 2013 

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa who has repeatedly criticised India over its responsibility in the Sri Lankan war and the 13th Amendment, is in India again.

Gotabaya

In an extremely low-profile visit, Sri Lankan defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, brother of Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was in Delhi for a short visit this week, which was largely kept under wraps by the two governments, an Indian media report says.

The News Indian Express last night said; Gotabaya Rajapaksa called on Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid on Friday morning, before he left for Colombo at the end of his trip. He met with his defence ministry counterparts on Thursday.

The newspaper said; “This was a significant visit, as it was the first high-level bilateral meeting following the Commonwealth Summit, which Prime MinisterManmohan Singh did not attend due to pressure from Tamil Nadu over the lack of accountability for war crimes towards the ends of the civil war in the island nation.

“As a very influential member of the Lankan government, Gotabaya is one of the key voices calling for dilution of the powers of the provincial councils, as stipulated under the Indo-Lanka accord and enacted through the13th amendment.

India had managed to stave off such efforts before the commonwealth summit, but there are fears that the parliamentary select committee to look into ways to amend the constitution to dilute 13A may be revived, now that the international scrutiny has been removed.”

Before leaving to India, he said; “India Is Our Largest Neighbour And The Most Important Country In The Region”

Murali Is Transparent, Accountable And Reconciled

By Malinda Seneviratne -December 1, 2013 |

Malinda Seneviratne

It was the 22^nd day of the month of July in the year 2010.  Galle was the venue of the first test between Sri Lanka and India.  India had avoided innings defeat but was ahead only marginally with 9 wickets down. For fifteen overs and 2 deliveries, much of the cricketing world waited and watched with rising anticipation.  Muttiah Muralitharan had already taken 799 test wickets.  It was his last test.  He had one shot at achieving the numerically satisfying ‘800’ to end an illustrious test cricket career.

Murali

Few who watched would forget the 4^th delivery of the 116^th over.  This is how it was described by the cricinfo commentator: ‘Muralitharan to Ojha, OUT, 800 it is! The wait and the tension is finally over! Tossed up outside off and the four men around the bat wait in anticipation! Ojha lunges forward, edges it and Mahela falls to his left and takes the catch at first slip! No need to look anywhere for confirmation, straightforward and Murali is ecstatic.’Read More