What did Indian PM Narendra Modi and Lankan Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Discuss at their One to one Meeting in Colombo?
At the Modi-Mahinda meeting over the weekend, the Indian prime minister has severely reprimanded former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, reports say.
A day before the Indian premier arrived in Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa gave an interview to India’s ‘The Hindu’, alleging RAW, the Indian spy agency, of being responsible for his ouster. Following the publication of this interview, Indian high commission officials had immediately cancelled Rajapaksa’s meeting with Narendra Modi. However, the Indian premier insisted he wanted to meet the ex-president, as he wanted to give him a special message.
Accordingly, their meeting took place at India House.
Here, Modi has expressed his strong reservations to Rajapaksa’s remarks over RAW. He said that an intelligence agency is an essential institution in a country, and accusing such an institution is an accusation against the country, he said. Modi went onto say that he has a responsibility about this key institution under the Indian central government. He asked Rajapaksa not to appease him by saying RAW is not part of his responsibility. “If you cannot understand the relationship between the intelligence and the state, do not engage in politics. That will be a grave harm you are doing to your country,” the Indian premier lectured him about diplomacy.
Patiently listening to the lecture, Rajapaksa shook hands with Modi before leaving, where the Indian premier advised him, “Mahinda is a descendant of India. Remember that and work accordingly.”