CPI hails defeat of Rajapaksa

CPI today hailed the election verdict in Sri Lanka saying that the people there have rejected the politics of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and asked India to work with the new government to find a political solution to the problem of ethnic Tamils.
Reacting to the defeat of the incumbent President, Party MP D Raja said the people of Sri Lanka have given their verdict on Rajapaksa's politics which was marked by his war on Tamils and human rights violations.
He had also brought changes in the constitution to make it an executive presidency, concentrated all powers in him and his family and the resultant corruption which has been disapproved by the people, the MP said.

Raja felt that the contribution of the majority Sinhalese in the defeat cannot also be underestimated.
He said as the new President takes over in a new environment it has to be seen how his administration would handle issues related to Sri Lankan Tamils and their constitutional rights.
The United Nations, which had been seeking a credible investigation into the alleged war crimes during the war on LTTE, should also work with the new government to ensure justice to Tamils.
Raja said for the Indian government too it cannot be business as usual. It should work with the new government to find a reasonable solution to the problem of Sri Lankan Tamils.

He regretted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his wish for the victory of Rajapaksa and his party leaders were on the social media which combined to give a picture as if they were campaigning for the incumbent.