TNA delegation meets Indian envoy, discusses devolution of powers to Tamils in Lanka

A delegation of Sri Lankas main Tamil party TNA on Thursday met Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay here and held discussions on the devolution of powers to the minority Tamil community and development in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of the country.A five-member Tamil National Alliance TNA delegation met the Indian envoy a day after the first-ever meeting between the party and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa scheduled on Wednesday to discuss the constitutional reform process was postponed by the president without citing any reason.A five-member Tamil National Alliance TNA delegation led by Hon.

A delegation of Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA on Thursday met Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay here and held discussions on the devolution of powers to the minority Tamil community and development in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of the country.

A five-member Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation met the Indian envoy a day after the first-ever meeting between the party and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa scheduled on Wednesday to discuss the constitutional reform process was postponed by the president without citing any reason.

''A five-member Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation led by Hon. @R_Sampanthan, MP called on High Commissioner at the India House today. Discussions on devolution and development in #SriLanka including in the Northern and Eastern Provinces were held,'' the Indian High Commission said in a tweet on Thursday.

High Commissioner Baglay stressed India's longstanding support for the reconciliation that addresses aspirations of the Tamil community for equality, justice, peace and dignity within the framework of a united Sri Lanka and in accordance with the 13th amendment, the statement said.

The 13th Amendment is aimed at creating provincial councils in Sri Lanka and enable Sinhalese and Tamil as national languages while preserving English as the link language.

The TNA since 2015 has been pressing for a reasonable political solution within a United Sri Lanka to fulfil political aspirations of the Tamils.

They moot the India-backed 13A as the basis for the solution and comes amidst ideas expressed by Rajapaksa's ruling SLPP that the system of provincial councils must be abolished.

Rajapaksa has often stated that political power was only a demand coming from Tamil politicians and what the Tamil population need is economic development in the former war-ravaged regions of north and east.

India, during top level official engagements with the Lanka government at all times have highlighted the need to empower provincial councils with meaningful devolution.

The TNA wants the 13th Amendment to be made meaningful to address the political concerns of the Tamil minority.

However, Rajapaksa's public statements reflected his keenness to abolish the system of provincial councils which became part of the Sri Lankan Constitution through the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 between then-premier Rajiv Gandhi and the then Sri Lankan President Junius Jayawardena.

India at all times has insisted that they would want Sri Lanka to pursue the 13A as the tool to address Tamil concerns on devolution of power.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)