News
Jaishankar blames Emergency-era deal for fishermen’s arrests by Sri Lanka
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said Indian fishermen continue to be arrested by Sri Lankan authorities because of an agreement signed during the Emergency period, which stripped them of fishing rights in certain sea areas, news agency PTI reported.
Speaking at an event organised by the BJP Yuva Morcha to mark 50 years of the Emergency, Jaishankar said the agreement would not have happened if Parliament had been working properly back then.
“Big decisions were sometimes taken without any parliamentary debate during the time,” he said, highlighting the lack of democratic processes under the Emergency.
Referring to the ongoing issue of fishermen being detained by Sri Lankan Navy, Jaishankar said, “We hear about our fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka. The reason is that an agreement was entered into during the Emergency under which the rights of the fishermen for fishing in some sea waters of Sri Lanka was abandoned.”
He said, if the Parliament had functioned genuinely, the matter would have been debated and such a decision would not have been accepted. “The consequences of this decision are still visible in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader implications of the Emergency, Jaishankar said the world’s perception of India as a vibrant democracy took a hit. “I heard from my seniors in the foreign service how difficult it was to defend India after the murder of the Constitution and democracy by the imposition of Emergency,” he said.
He also shared personal memories from that period, mentioning police raids at Jawaharlal Nehru University hostels and his family’s connection with anti-Emergency leaders such as George Fernandes.
In a veiled attack on the Congress leadership, Jaishankar said the roots of the Emergency lay in prioritising familial power over national interest. “An Emergency situation arises when the ‘family’ is kept ahead of the country,” he said. “Some people keep the copy of the Constitution in their pockets but have other feelings in their hearts,” he added, in an apparent reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The Minister stressed on the need for an informed and empowered citizenry to prevent any repeat of such an authoritarian phase. “An empowered public would never let it happen,” he said.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
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At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
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