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Saturday, 14 March 2015 01:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday visited Parliament and addressed the House, highlighting the regional importance of Sri Lanka and the role India had to play in supporting it.
Prime Minister Modi stated that Sri Lanka was India’s most preferred neighbour. He also thrust the two countries’ cultural bond into the limelight, saying: “This Parliament represents one of Asia’s oldest democracies and one of the most vibrant. I bring the blessings of the land of the Bodh Gaya and the fans of cricket for our shared heritage and commitment to a shared future. I recognise our common destiny. The future that I dream for India is the future that I wish for our neighbours.
“Today we stand together as proud, independent and equal nations. Our relationship is beautifully designed by Mahinda and Sangamitta by a message of peace delivered more than two millenniums ago. Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress since independence. It is an inspiration in the region for human development. It is home to enterprise development and extraordinary intellect. Sri Lanka’s progress and prosperity is important for the development of the entire Indian Ocean region. Sri Lanka’s success is significant for India. We will always be there for you.”
Prime Minister Modi acknowledged that Sri Lanka and India existed within a region rife with both diversity and social issues and admitted to being “a firm believer in cooperative federalism” who was determined “to make the Indian states stronger.” The Indian Premier then went on to talk about Sri Lanka’s civil conflict, saying: “You have successfully defeated terrorism and brought the conflict to an end. You now stand at a historic opportunity to win hearts and heal wounds. The recent elections approved reconciliation and started a new process. This is the path Sri Lanka has to take. I can assure you that the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka is paramount.”
“Indian has become the fastest growing economy in the world and our neighbours have the first claim to India. Sri Lanka has the potential to be our strongest economic partner. India’s trade is becoming more and more open. Sri Lanka should not fall behind in this competitive world.
That is why we want to form an ambitious comprehensive economic partnership agreement. Let us get together to harness the potential. Our two countries can become the engines of development in the region. India has committed $ 1.6 billion in development assistance and today we have further assistance of up to $ 380 million,” he added.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, delivering his welcome address, said: “Your visit to Parliament and the address to this House is a significant honour. Our countries and people have a centuries-old relationship and common cultural and religious bonds. India and Sri Lanka have democratic traditions and institutions which are more than five decades old. We have practiced and sustained democracy in its true spirit.”
Modi became the fourth Indian Prime Minister to address Parliament, with the last speech being delivered 36 years ago on 6 February 1979 by Morarji Desai. The other parliamentary orations were given on 28 April 1973 by Indira Gandhi and 13 October 1962 by Jawaharlal Nehru.
This was the first time an Indian Prime Minister was accorded the privilege of addressing assembled Parliamentarians inside the Parliament Chamber at Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte with the Speaker of the House present and the Mace on the table.
During the previous three occasions, each of the Indian leaders addressed Parliamentarians from the Assembly Hall of the Parliament Building at Colombo but the Members of Parliament did not officially assemble. This was also the first state visit by an Indian Prime Minister since Rajiv Gandhi travelled to Sri Lanka in July 1987.
Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva highlighted the centuries-old cordial relationship between the two countries. “Your visit heralds a new era of renewed Indo-Lanka relations. Religious scriptures tell us that Lord Buddha, the great philosopher and esteemed son of the Mahabharata, visited Sri Lanka several times and shared his knowledge with us and blessed our motherland. History records that King Asoka’s son and daughter and his disciples brought Buddhism and the order of Maha-Sangha to Sri Lanka, 2500 years ago, guiding our ancestors on a religious and a spiritual path transforming Sri Lanka into a disciplined society,” said MP de Silva.
The Opposition leader added: “Bodh Gaya, Varnasi, Kapilavastu and many places of religious worship in India are visited by hundreds and thousands of devout Sri Lankan Buddhists annually, bringing India and its people closer to the hearts and minds of our people. Similarly, many Indians too visit popular religious sites in Sri Lanka, such as Kataragama and Sita Eliya. Many Indian leaders have visited Sri Lanka in the past, strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and improving our cultural and social ties in the past. From time immemorial Sri Lanka and India have had excellent trade relations and as a result we are proud that India has become one of our leading trade partners.”
