Gotabaya’s victory unfortunate: TN parties

Political parties in Tamil Nadu on Sunday termed as “unfortunate” the election of powerful Gotabaya Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka’s president saying the new leadership would not contribute anything meaningful to the minority Tamil community in the island nation.

Gotabaya, who was Defence Secretary during the last phase of the civil war in 2009 that ended the 30-year reign of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is much disliked in Tamil Nadu for his alleged role in the crimes committed during the war.

The then Defence Secretary had also entered into a war of words with the then leaders of the AIADMK and DMK— J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi— over their allegations of atrocities on the Tamils during the last phase of the war in 2009.

“It is very disturbing that Gotabaya Rajapaksa who whips up Sinhala chauvinism at every given opportunity has won the Presidential elections in Sri Lanka. He has won despite being rejected by the Tamils outright in the Northern region,” MDMK general secretary Vaiko, a self-professed champion of the Sri Lankan Tamils, said.

He also reminded the Centre that its responsibility to ensure that Tamils are protected in Sri Lanka has increased with Gotabaya’s ascendancy to president.

Without going into the results, AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said the government would ensure the safety and security of millions of Sri Lankan Tamils.

PMK founder S Ramadoss went a step ahead by rekindling the demand for a separate nation for Tamils in Sri Lanka. “Gotabhaya entered the poll race as symbol of Sinhala chauvinism and his victory would only strengthen the stature of the Army in Sri Lanka. The demands for investigation into war crimes will fall into deaf ears,” Ramadoss said.

Pointing to the fact that Gotabaya’s prime challenger Sajith Premadasa had scored nearly 90% of the votes in Tamil-dominated areas, Ramadoss said this reinforced the need for a separate homeland for Tamils.

LTTE fought for a separate homeland for Sri Lankan Tamils and fought a bloody war for 30 years with the Army. Welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils is a major emotive issue in Tamil Nadu with all political parties making it an election issue.