TPA won’t turn to India for political support but for social support: Mano Ganesan

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) changed the usual practice of asking for political support from the Indian government by the way of prevailing upon the Sri Lankan government.

TPA Leader Mano Ganesan MP in his Twitter message said that his party delegation requested High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay earlier this year for a teacher training College for Science, Technology, English and Maths subjects, a Nurse Training College for Hill Country women and a University College.

He said that during the next week’s visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will favourably consider these social progress requests of us.

“We have decided to keep our demands to India to social progress assistance only. Moreover, India has its own shared obligations and moral responsibilities towards the Indian Origin Malaiyaga Tamils in Sri Lanka. Such derives from the infamous 1964 Sirimavo-Shastri repatriation Pact. This agreement has weakened our community. It can be redone now only by social progress assistance on affirmative principles. Our people are the most underprivileged, marginalized and vulnerable segment in the country. We seek full citizenry privileges within Sri Lanka. We wish India will address this issue from the very spirit of the 1964 pact.

President Wickremesinghe has assured that he will nominate a presidential committee to talk to political party representatives of the recent Indian-origin Hill Country Tamil community. We have such discussions with Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa too. Hence, our discussions on our national political aspirations will be conducted within Sri Lanka,” he said.