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FSP raises alarm over Indian investments in strategic locations

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/12

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Indian investments in some strategic locations in Sri Lanka could pose a serious national security threat, Education Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), Pubudu Jayagoda says.Jayagoda added that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who does not have a mandate to be the President, had initiated a number of economic policy and legal amendments to facilitate Indian investments in strategic areas.

“Speaking in Parliament on Thursday Wickremesinghe urged the Tamil political parties to join him in finding a solution to the problems faced by Tamil people. No one opposes this in principle, but this is nothing but an eyewash. He is trying to pacify the people of the North, who are not at all happy with certain Indian projects to be carried out in the North,” he said.

Jayagoda said the government was planning to carry out a number of renewable energy generation projects in the North. Soon after Wickremesinghe became President, he presented a strategic plan on the Trincomalee District. According to the plan, a number of strategic locations in the district will be handed over to Indian companies.”

The FSP Education Secretary also alleged that there were plans to change the district borders of Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa. Some Tamil majority areas would be made a part of Polonnaruwa and vice versa, he said.

“This is an attempt to change the ethnic composition of the Trincomalee District. The SLPP and Wickremesinghe associates are telling the Sinhalese of Trincomalee that the Sinhalese will be the majority in the Trincomalee District. This is a plot to dampen opposition to Indian projects in the district among the Sinhalese,” he said.

Jayagoda said District Secretariats of Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa were working on data gathering to change district borders. However, a change of this magnitude could only be made with the approval of the Parliament, he said.

“This was raised by TNA Leader, R. Sampanthan, and MP M. A. Sumanthiran made a statement in Parliament in October. Everyone who knows what is happening is deeply worried. Unfortunately, this has not received adequate attention by the media,” Jagoda said.

“The government has agreed to allow India to explore oil in the Mannar Basin and this poses a serious security threat to the country. Several Sri Lankan laws prevent such an Indian intervention and Wickremesinghe has asked relevant officers to change the laws, he said.

“Adani Group has gained a foothold in the Colombo Port. Initially, he wanted a stake in the East Terminal, but that was thwarted. Now, he has the West Terminal, and the plan is to attract the large ships that come to Colombo to the West Terminal. India controls bunkering at Trincomalee. Soon, they will have a firm foothold in Mannar as well. This is a serious national security issue,” he said.The FSP Education Secretary said India had also won a number of renewable energy projects in the North and the people were unhappy about them.

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Governor of Gujarat met with Sri Lanka PM to discuss exposition of Devnimori Relics

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The Governor of the of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, along with the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghvi, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Thursdy [February 05] at the Parliamentary Complex to discuss the arrangements related to the exposition of the Devnimori Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha, which have been brought to Sri Lanka under the patronage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India.

These sacred relics of Lord Buddha were discovered during archaeological excavations conducted in the 1960s at the historic Devnimori site in Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Until now, these relics had never been taken outside India. As a result of discussions held between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Sri Lanka, the people of Sri Lanka have been granted this rare opportunity to venerate these sacred relics.

The exposition of the relics is being held for a period of seven days, from February 05 to February 11, at the Gangaramaya Temple in Hunupitiya, Colombo. Discussions were held between both parties regarding the arrangements related to this event.

The discussion was attended by Samar Nanda, Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Culture; Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, Acting High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka; Abhijit Halder, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation; along with several others.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

INS GHARIAL makes port call in Colombo

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) GHARIAL made a port call in Colombo for operational turnarounds on 04 Feb 26. The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in compliance with naval traditions.

Commanded by Commander Gaurav Tewari, INS GHARIAL is a vessel with a length of 124.8 meters.

During this visit, ten (10) Bailey Bridges, brought by ship, through the coordination of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, will be handed over to the Disaster Management Center. These bridges will provide temporary transportation links while bridges damaged across the island by adverse weather conditions are repaired.

The crew’s itinerary features scheduled goodwill activities with the Sri Lanka Navy, alongside visits to several tourist attractions across the island.

News

Speaker’s personal secretary accused of interference with ongoing bribery investigation

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/6

Thilina Walpola

Harshana

SJB Gampaha District MP Harshana Rajakaruna yesterday told Parliament that the Speaker’s Personal Secretary had written to the Secretary-General of Parliament seeking information on a complaint lodged with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) by a former Deputy Secretary of Parliament against the Speaker. Rajakaruna called for an immediate investigation into what he described as interference with an ongoing probe.

Raising the matter in the House, Rajakaruna said he had formally requested the Commission to initiate an inquiry into the conduct of the Speaker’s Personal Secretary, Chameera Gallage, questioning the authority under which such information had been sought.

Rajapakaruna tabled in Parliament a copy of the letter allegedly sent by Gallage to the Secretary-General requesting details of the bribery complaint.

Addressing the House, Rajakaruna said that the letter, sent two days earlier, had sought “full details” of the complaint against the Speaker. He maintained that seeking such information amounted to interference with an investigation and constituted a serious offence under the Bribery Act.

“The Speaker’s Secretary has no right to interfere with the work of the Bribery Commission. Under what law is he acting? What authority does he have? The Speaker, like everyone else, is subject to the law of the land,” Rajakaruna said, urging the Commission to take immediate action.

He noted that the Bribery Act treated the obstruction of investigations and the destruction of documents relating to such inquiries as serious offences punishable by law, and said he believed the Minister of Justice would concur.

The allegations sparked sharp reactions in the Chamber, as Opposition members called for accountability and due process in relation to the complaint against the Speaker.

By Saman Indrajith