Over the past few decades, some efforts have been made to maintain close cooperation and a common market between India and Sri Lanka. To build a bridge between Talaimannar and Danushkodi is such an attempt. Although there was some success in those efforts, due to the racist influence it didn’t work.
Today, it is clear that the BJP is not trying to establish its branches in countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal and establish power in those countries with good intention. The BJP is an extreme Hindutva fundamentalist party. The BJP has an ugly history in India with regard to other minorities and religious sections, including Muslims. Frontline organizations of the BJP such as RSS and Shiv Sena, provoked massive anti-Muslim sentiment by demolishing Babri Masjid mosque and constructing Hindu temples. The party also massacred thousands of Muslims in Gujarat during Narendra Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister. It was this rule that eventually split Indian Kashmir into three. How can a party that failed to unite India unite Nepal and Sri Lanka?
Then what is the meaning of this statement? US President Joe Biden has stated that QUAD organization consists of India, Australia and Japan to be restructured. This organization was established to siege China which is building up against American imperialism in the Asian region. This attempt is leading by India. Therefore, their aim is to make Sri Lanka, which is situated in a very important geopolitical position, as a place where it can lead against China. This was most evident in the agitation against the handing over of the Eastern Terminal of the Colombo Port to the Adani Company of India. In the midst of the protest, the US ambassador issued a statement urging the government to hand it over to the Indian company. This is a geopolitical issue. They cite the transfer of the Hambantota port to China, the ownership of part of the Colombo port by a Chinese company and the existence of Sri Lanka on Chinese aid. Due to this situation, India is trying to intervene in Sri Lanka by taking steps that will create serious political instability within Sri Lanka. Addressing a rally in Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister Mody said that India continued to support Sri Lanka and would continue to protect the rights of Tamils and estate workers in Sri Lanka. This may be a statement to say that India may not support the Sri Lankan government during the resolution against Sri Lanka at this month’s human rights session. The Human Rights Commission has not ruled out imposing sanctions on Sri Lanka in the absence of any positive action by the government on the just grievances of the Tamil people and the war crimes committed during the war. The present government is clearly responsible for this situation.
At the same time, Basil Rajapaksa has stated that the ruling Podu Jana Peramuna in Sri Lanka should be formed as a party like the BJP of India or the Chinese Communist Party. Both of these are extremely dangerous. BJP is an extremist racist party that is being manipulated by American imperialists. The Communist Party of China, whatever its history, is an extreme authoritarian (dictatorial) party today that will unhesitatingly mobilize to establish capitalism in China. The people have no democracy in it. Is Basil Rajapaksa going to build such a party? India may agree to such an attempt. But according to the Sri Lankan social situation it will be a mere mirage. So Sri Lanka or Nepal should not be allowed to fall prey to the expansion of Indian capitalism, and the people of Nepal and Sri Lanka must build the co – operation and revolutionary political movement more than ever to liberate themselves from the domination of this capitalism.
Neil Wijethilaka
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