Devananda chides Sampanthan for telling Modi Lanka a Buddhist state

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, R Sampanthan had told Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi that he recognised Sri Lanka as a Buddhist state, leader of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Douglas Devananda told the DECCAN CHRONICLE in an interview. Condemning Sampanthan’s statement Devananda has said that Sri Lanka is a secular state where all the people should enjoy equal rights.

"First, let me clarify Sampanthan is not the leader of all the Tamils. He is the leader of only the TNA. I represent EPDP and Mano Ganesan the Tamil Muropokku Munnani (Tamil Progressive Front, TPF), besides Rauf Hakeem who is the leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. We three were also present in this delegation in Delhi. And as for Sampanthan’s statement that Sri Lanka is a Buddhist State, that is unfortunate he said that. That may be the TNA stand, but not that of the Tamil people," Devananda said. The EPDP leader added that anti-social elements were having a field day in areas that Tamils lived and that there were many cases of abduction, extortion, rape and murder. It was the result of the lack of proper Tamil leadership. "This spurt in violent crime is unfortunate because in my student days in the early 1970s, the Tamil society was so civilized and there was no crime even without any policeman’s supervision. We would get down from our bicycles in reverence when we see our teacher. Now it is the other way about as the teachers seem to be scared of students," he said. Devananda added that the best solution for the Tamils in the present circumstances is the implementation of the 13th Amendment (of the Sri Lankan Constitution, introduced under the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord, 1987. This should happen "stage by stage as the people-to-people understanding between the Sinhalese and the Tamils should consolidate so as to meet the political aspirations of the Tamil people. The 13th Amendment is the closest to the Indian model of devolution of powers between the Centre and the States."