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Friday, Jul 08, 2005

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International - India & World

Wordy duel over attack on Rajiv

V.S. Sambandan

Sri Lankan Parliament debates bill on restraining terrorism

COLOMBO: The former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, was on Thursday the focus of a heated exchange between Tamil and Sinhala leaders in the Sri Lankan Parliament.

The 10-minute exchange erupted when Mavai Senathirajah, MP, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), recalled the assault on Rajiv by a Sri Lankan naval rating, Vijayamuni Rohana De Silva, after the Indo-Sri Lanka accord was signed in 1987. "You think that India will support you because of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, but don't forget it was a person from the Sinhala armed forces who first attacked him," he said. He was responding to points made by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in support of a Bill that gives effect to the Convention on Suppression of Terrorist Financing.

Dinesh Gunawardene, Minister for Urban Development and leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, was immediately on his feet challenging Mr. Senathirajah. Pointing out that Mr. De Silva was brought before justice, he asked whether the same would apply to the assassins of the former Prime Minister. Mr. Senathirajah, in turn, charged the Minister with representing "majoritarian politics."

ITAK parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan countered the Minister by saying the attacker was pardoned for his offence and set free.

Rajiv Gandhi had a narrow escape when Mr. De Silva, a naval rating in the ceremonial guard of honour, assaulted him with the butt of his rifle. Mr. De Silva subsequently launched the Bhumpitura Party. In 1997, the party demanded that India pay Rs. 15 billion as "war reparations" for "arming and funding" Tamil militants. He contested the Presidential elections in 1999 but was defeated.

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