Speaking to Indian Media BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy revealed his thoughts on the current political situation in Sri Lanka and the newly appointed Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Commenting on a telephone call exchanged between Prime Minster Rajapaksa and himself following the appointment of Rajapaksa as the Sri Lankan premier, Swamy stated that he had known Rajapaksa for many years and that he congratulated him on the appointment in their brief phone conversation. Rajapaksa was grateful for the continuous support given by him throughout these years, especially on occasions of fighting the LTTE and his recent trip to Delhi, stated Swamy.

Swamy also stated that, when he told Mahinda Rajapaksa that would visit Sri Lanka to clear pending issues such as the resettlement of Tamils who were uprooted by the LTTE, Rajapaksa had welcomed him to help Sri Lanka up to the extent of his experience.

“I have a lot of Sri Lankan Tamil friends. Therefore, I thought this Tamil-Sinhala divide should end. Especially after Rajapaksa in his speech said that ‘Indians are like my relatives and Chinese are my friends; so we should not compare our relations with that of China’”, said Swamy.

Subramanian Swamy also commented on the contract between Sri Lanka and China over the Hambantota port. He says that while Chinese are allowed bring in ships to the Hambantota port, the manning of the port should only be under Sri Lankans. This was the position Sri Lanka held while Rajapaksa was President and when he left for the Sirisena government, the port’s management was given over to the Chinese personnel, said Swamy. This was very strongly objected to by India, he pointed out.  

Swamy stated that he believes good Indian relations would take place with the new Sri Lankan government.

Commenting on the current political turmoil in the country, Swamy said that India should stay out of Sri Lankan Internal affairs. He further stated that India has messed it up in the past by taking sides and that India took the wrong side.

“The best thing for us to do is to leave it to the players in Sri Lanka to play it the way they see it”, says Swamy.

“My personal opinion is that Rajapaksa has got the stuff in him to keep the country together and keep the sovereignty of Sri Lanka intact”, he further said.

Swamy says that he hasn’t discussed the internal strife of Sri Lanka with Mahinda Rajapaksa. However, Rajapaksa had sought his legal expertise on the ban in Sri Lankan constitution for contesting a third time at a presidential election, he said. Rajapaksa did not speak about his prospects as a Sri Lankan Prime Minister when he was in Delhi, Swamy added.

When queried on Ranil Wickremesinghe’s decision to challenge his sacking at the courts, Swamy stated that Wickremesinghe doesn’t have a case at all, as it is “clear in the constitution that he was appointed by the President and it is the pleasure of the president.” 

He says that although Wickremesinghe can take it to court, he has no chance. “He [Ranil] will not be able to walk into the Prime Minister’s office as police and forces are already in place and they take their orders from the President.”

Speaking on the newly appointed Prime Minster of Sri Lanka, BJP MP said that Rajapaksa is ‘a man who if he promises something, he can deliver’. 

Swamy says that Rajapaksa showed his capabilities in his handling of LTTE. “He is very determined man. When something is good for the country he doesn’t care for the cost. He demonstrated that on the LTTE matter”, said Swamy.

BJP MP S Subramanian Swamy said that Mahinda Rajapaksa is a man that India can do business with.

“He delivers what he promises. He’s not waffling and he is not easily manageable by other people or other counties”, Swamy added.