Tread with caution on Sri Lanka

The people's struggle termed as Janatha Aragalaya that had further pushed the situation in the neighbouring Sri Lanka into a greater chaos is being watched closely in India from the economic viewpoint. Everyone is talking about Lankan fate nowadays and predicting the consequences of failed economic policies.

While the Lankan crisis could have had several issues that precipitated into the present abyss, the politics behind the same should not be ignored. Not least by the Indian authorities who don't seem to read in between lines. Remember 1971 and 1989? Sri Lanka was rocked by two insurrections during these periods but the state could suppress it successfully. Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) and its splinter group, the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), known locally as Peratugami Samajavadi Pakshaya, made stellar use of the socio-economic crisis in the country in the recent past. There is yet another mass organization in this country of students – Anthar Vishwa Vidyalaya Shishya Bala Mandalaya – that also played a significant role in shaping the thought of the students in the country.

Among these, the JVP is a breakaway faction of the pro-Chinese Left Party and is sworn anti-India in its attitude. It should be recalled here that it was opposed to the Tamil demand and always sought military action against the ethnic population. While both the JVP and the FSP are in collaboration, if it could be said thus, in their struggle now, the former is keener on occupying the political space while the latter is more bent on opposing India in every sense. Both of these never like the government opposing Chinese investments or interference; it could be said despite their otherwise voices now and then.

Sinhalese nationalism, no doubt, counts a lot here but if one were to choose between India and China, it is the latter always for them. Well, not a happy situation for India despite its largesse to Sri Lanka. There is now a pressure on the Indian government from the lawmakers to 'do something' about Sri Lanka. Some even feel India's intervention would be right. No. Not at all. It is better to keep away from the turmoil. Even Indian aid to Sri Lanka has been misinterpreted and a sustained campaign has been launched against India that it funded the water cannons used against the agitating Lankans. This is a false claim but given currency in Sri Lanka by the ultra Left groups. The Indian government took great pains to explain that its financial aid was not used for any such thing and the foreign ministry had also gone ahead and provided a list of the items indented with the Indian aid in the public domain.

There will be repercussions for India too because of what happens in Sri Lanka as no country can escape the cascading effect of what happens in its neighborhood, particularly if it is bad. India needs to weigh its options carefully without any haste. One need not rule out Chinese designs to the disturbance in Sri Lanka. An ultra left that has a history of resurrections and leanings towards China is not a good augury. Tread with caution.