{"id":71959,"date":"2021-03-04T18:18:16","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T23:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=71959"},"modified":"2021-03-05T00:06:24","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T05:06:24","slug":"the-maravanpulavu-man-behind-moves-to-form-the-bjp-in-sri-lanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=71959","title":{"rendered":"The “Maravanpulavu” Man Behind Moves to Form the “BJP” in Sri Lanka"},"content":{"rendered":"

By
\nD.B.S.Jeyaraj<\/strong><\/p>\n

(This is an Updated Version of an Article written for the \u201cDBS Jeyaraj \u201d Column in the \u201cDaily Mirror \u201d of Feb 20th 2021.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The flower bud is the accredited electoral symbol of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) which is ruling Sri Lanka. However the image of that flower bud resembles the lotus flower bud. In fact a lot of lotus buds are used to decorate platforms of the SLPP known in popular parlance as the \u201cpohottuwa\u201d party.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMaravanpulavu\u201d Satchithanandan – pic via: FB-SivaSenai-Vavuniya<\/p><\/div>\n

The Lotus flower is the symbol of India\u2019s ruling party the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP). The SLPP in English means Sri Lanka peoples front. The English meaning of BJP is Indian Peoples Party. Both the SLPP and BJP claim to be the people\u2019s parties of Sri Lanka and India with related symbols namely the lotus bud and lotus. Lotus buds bloom into Lotus flowers. Mother Nature decrees it so.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It is widely acknowledged that Basil Rajapaksa is the master strategist and moving force behind the SLPP. Basil was interviewed by our sister newspaper \u201cDaily FT\u201d a week before the Parliamentary Elections of August 20th 2020. The interviewer Uditha Jayasinghe posed the following question to Basil Rajapaksa.<\/p>\n

Q;<\/strong> Given it is a relatively young party, how would you like to see the SLPP evolve? <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Basil\u2019s reply was \u201cLet the people understand and decide. I want our party to be a party like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and how they act. The party has its say because the party has responsibility. When a minister is appointed by the people, the MPs can come, but ministerial portfolio is given by the President and the Prime Minister. We can also be like the Indian Baratha Janatha Party (BJP). We have learned from many political parties in the world. The best two are the BJP and CCP.<\/strong>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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Basil Rajapaksa<\/p><\/div>\n

It could be seen therefore that the dynamo behind the SLPP was favourably disposed towards the BJP of India and that the bud had learnt lessons from the flower. The SLPP has also been engaging with the Chinese Communist party in recent times via Zoom. No such interaction has taken place so far between the BJP and SLPP.Nevertheless there is an affinity of opinion between the right-wing , Hindu ultra-nationalist ideologues of the BJP and some \u201cSinhala Buddhist\u201d ultra- nationalist leading lights of the SLPP.<\/p>\n

However significant sections of the Sri Lankan polity erupted into a furore last week over the \u201cnews\u201d (or fake news) that India\u2019s BJP was going to expand its base in countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka and form Governments in those countries in the future. The people who keep conspicuously silent about the inroads being made by China into Sri Lanka are vociferously indignant over any real or imaginary acts of omission or commission by India. The outcry over the BJP in Sri Lanka was as if the right-wing Hindu nationalist Indian party was going to invade the Island and colonise it.Not even a pipsqueak from these elements about the growing Chinese footprint here.<\/p>\n

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb<\/strong><\/p>\n

What had happened according to Indian media reports was this. The North -Eastern state of Tripura is India\u2019s third smallest state. It is currently governed by the BJP with Biplap Kumar Deb as chief minister(CM). During a public event in the state capital in Agartala, the Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb, claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier stated that the BJP is “planning to form its government in neighbouring countries, including Nepal and Sri Lanka”.<\/p>\n

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Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb<\/p><\/div>\n

Amit Anil Chandra Shah known as Amit Shah is the youngest person sworn in as Minister of Home Affairs in India. He was BJP party president from 2014 to 2020 . Elected to the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) from the Gandhinagar constituency in Gujerat state, Amit Shah is a close confidante of Indian Prime Minister and is acknowledged as the chief strategist of the BJP. Many regard him as the second most powerful man in India. Hence the Tripura CM quoting the Home Minister made an impact initially.<\/p>\n

According to CM Deb, Shah had allegedly made the statement at a party meeting during his visit to Tripura.The Tripura CM quoted Amit Shah saying that he had plans to establish the BJP in neighbouring countries after registering victory in most of the states in India.”We were talking in the state guest house when Ajay Jamwal (North-East Zonal Secretary of BJP) said that the BJP has formed its government in several states of India\u201d said Biplab Deb. He went on to say that Amit Shah had replied ‘Now Sri Lanka and Nepal are left. We have to expand the party in Sri Lanka, Nepal and win there to form a government\u201d.<\/p>\n

Following the Tripura Chief Minister\u2019s revelations, Indian opposition parties condemned the BJP leadership saying the party\u2019s plans are against India’s foreign policies.Communist Party of India(Marxist) central committee member and former Tripura minister Jitendra Chowdhury said: “It has been revealed further from Deb’s speech that the top brass in BJP is engaged in the internal affairs of our neighbouring countries, which is contrary to our long-cherished foreign policy since independence.” Tripura Congress vice-president Tapas Dey said that Deb’s comments in regard to Sri Lanka and Nepal are against India’s foreign policies. “It was a long-established policy of India not to interfere into any internal issues and affairs of any sovereign nations,” said Dey.<\/p>\n

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Amit Anil Chandra Shah<\/p><\/div>\n

Tripura CM Deb\u2019s remarks quoting Amit Shah were widely reported by the Indian and International media. Nepal lodged a formal complaint against the Tripura Chief Minister’s reported remarks hinting that the BJP was planning to ‘expand’ in ‘Nepal and Sri Lanka’.Responding to a Twitter user who cited Deb’s comments, Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said that a formal objection has been lodged with India. “Noted. The formal objection has been already conveyed,” Gyawali tweeted. Meanwhile the \u201cKathmandu Post\u201d reported that Nepal’s Ambassador Nilamber Acharya had spoke to Arindam Bagchi, joint secretary in-charge of Nepal and Bhutan at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi , and conveyed Kathmandu’s reservations about Tripura CM Deb’s \u201cobjectionable\u201d remarks.<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s Official Response Subdued and Dismissive.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Sri Lanka media reports about the BJP \u201ctaking over\u201d Sri Lanka caused an uproar. Several organizations and individuals came out wih comments – many of them outlandish. In contrast the official response to Deb\u2019s remarks was subdued and dismissive. Addressing the media during the weekly cabinet briefing , Co-Cabinet Spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said that the official opinion of the Government could not be expressed on the basis of hearsay or rumours.<\/p>\n

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BJP<\/p><\/div>\n

Cabinet Minister Gammanpila said that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah had not made any public statement that there were plans to form the Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP) in Sri Lanka as well. He emphasized that it could be officially accepted only if the Indian Government made a statement to that effect.However, the Minister said that he did not believe the patriotic people of this country would allow a foreign political party to seize political power in this country.<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa said that a branch of a foreign political party could not be established in Sri Lanka. The EC Chairman said that in accordance with Parliament Elections Act 01 of 1981, a political party of a foreign country cannot be established in Sri Lanka under any circumstances.”Any Sri Lankan political party or group is permitted to have external links with any party or group overseas. But, our electoral laws do not permit overseas political parties to work here,” Punchihewa told reporters. EC chairman Punchihewa\u2019s response received wide publicity in the Indian media.<\/p>\n

An official spokesperson of the Indian Govt has stated that the matter is being looked into and that an explanation would be made available soon. However it must be noted that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has not openly responded with a clarification about the issue so far. Even Tripura Chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb has not made any retraction.<\/p>\n

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SLPP<\/p><\/div>\n

In a further development Tripura law minister Ratan Lal Nath claimed that several countries including the United States and Sri Lanka were influenced by Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ideals and were thinking of accepting them., stated a report in the \u201cHindustan Times\u201d In a bid to clarify what Tripura CM Deb had earlier said, Ratan Lal Nath went on to say -“Our CM meant that all other countries in the world will be influenced by the thoughts of the BJP. But that does not mean the BJP will form its base in those countries. His statement was explained in a wrong way.” The video clip of his statement was shared on social media platforms on Thursday.”We feel that the whole world will accept the thoughts of the BJP. Those who are in Sri Lanka are now thinking of accepting thoughts of the BJP. America is also thinking to accept. The entire world is now thinking,” said Nath.The minister further claimed that the entire world was drawn towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s ideals and persona.”We launched the Covid-19 vaccine and other countries are procuring the vaccine from us. The International Yoga Day is being celebrated throughout the world after Narendra Modi talked about it. So, the entire world is thinking about his thoughts and ideas.” he said.<\/p>\n

Biplab Kumar Deb is no political light-weight. He led the BJP to power in elections to the Tripura state legislature in 2018 defeating the Left -Front Govt led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)that had ruled the state for over 25 years at a stretch. The Tripura chief minister is reportedly not taken very seriously in India because of his intemperate utterances.<\/p>\n

Veteran Indian Journalist PK Balachandran<\/strong><\/p>\n

Veteran Indian journalist PK Balachandran has been long resident in Colombo covering Sri Lanka for various newspapers and websites. Bala is to Sri Lanka what the BBC\u2019s Mark Tully was to India. In an article in the web journal \u201cNewsIn.Asia\u201d, Balachandran wrote-<\/p>\n

\u201cTripura Chief Minister Biplap Kumar Deb has claimed that the BJP honcho and current Indian Home Minister Amit Shah had revealed to him that the BJP has a plan to form governments in neighboring Nepal and Sri Lanka.This may be laughed off in India as another of those baseless utterances by Deb who has earned an unsavory reputation of being a loud mouth. But in Sri Lanka it has caused considerable concern.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReporters in Colombo have been desperately trying to confirm if Deb had really said what he has been quoted as saying, and whether the BJP, which rules India, really has a plan to install BJP regimes in Sri Lanka and Nepal. They have been wanting phone numbers of BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu and New Delhi to cross check to clear the anxiety.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately for India, the story on Deb\u2019s utterance, has come at a time when relations between Sri Lanka and India have soured a bit after the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government backed out of a May 2019 agreement to give the project to develop the strategic East Container Terminal in Colombo port to India. The Lankan government had also given three power generation projects in the islands of Jaffna to a Chinese company rejecting an Indian company\u2019s tender. The latter decision was cancelled after India lodged a strong protest citing security concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLankans anxiously ask if India will become unfriendly to Colombo and take the Western countries\u2019 side in the March session of the UN Human Rights Council where a hard-hitting resolution against the Sri Lankan government alleging war crimes is expected to be taken up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, few in Sri Lanka know that Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is a laughing stock in India. He had to be pulled by the BJP top brass for his thoughtless and embarrassing remarks on a variety of matters. \u201c<\/p>\n

Amusing Gaffes of Tripura Chief Minister<\/strong><\/p>\n

Writing further Balachandran related some amusing incidents concerning Deb\u2019s Gaffes <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, Deb had made hilarious remarks with dead seriousness. s. He asked families to rear ducks because \u201cwhen ducks swim in water, the oxygen level automatically increases in the water body\u201d. He announced that the government would distribute 50,000 ducklings to villagers whose homes are near water bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlorifying ancient India\u2019s achievements in science and technology Deb said: \u201cIndia has been using internet for ages. In Mahabharata, Sanjaya was blind, but he narrated what was happening in the battlefield to Dhritarashtra anyway. This was due to the existence of the internet. Satellites also existed in that period.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce he shocked civil servants at a civil service function when he said that only civil engineers are suited for the civil services. \u201cCivil engineers should join the Civil Services because they have the knowledge and experience to help build a proper administration and society.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe then made a sexist comment about Indian model Diana Hayden who won the Miss World title in 1997. \u201cShe is not worthy of the Miss World crown. We see women as goddess Laxmi and Saraswati. Aishwarya Rai represents Indian women. She became Miss World in 1997 and that\u2019s all right. But I do not understand the beauty of Diana Hayden,\u201d Deb said as the audience squirmed. After protests from feminists, he apologized.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDeb then advised Tripura\u2019s youth not to hanker for government jobs but to rear a cow or open a paan (betel leaf) shop. \u201cThe youth here run after political parties to get a government job and waste precious time instead of using it to become entrepreneurs. If they had set up paan shops each one would have accumulated a bank balance of Rs 5 lakhs,\u201d he said.Since his utterances were often not a laughing matter, he was summoned to the BJP headquarters in Delhi and castigated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Insight Into BJP Affairs and \u201cHindutva\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

A top Indian journalist possessing an insight into BJP affairs gave me his take on the Sri Lankan dimension in this matter. According to him the BJP had at one stage explored the options of opening up party branches in various countries. At that time several BJP activists and others with links to \u201cHindutva\u201d organizations had wanted to promote the BJP in Sri Lanka. Several members of the Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora in Western countries had closely interacted with each other. They were of the opinion that wider sympathy for the Sri Lankan Tamil plight could be gained in India particularly in North India if the problems could be projected as affecting Hindus rather than Tamils. After all 80% of the Tamils in Sri Lanka are Hindus. Moreover many Hindu activists from Sri Lanka were also contacting BJP leaders seeking support to overcome \u201cAabathukkal\u201d (dangers) posed to Hindus by Muslims, Christians and Buddhists. No decision was finalized by the BJP hierarchy but the idea has only been shelved and not abandoned yet said the scribe.<\/p>\n

When I asked him pointedly how the BJP could establish a direct party branch in Sri Lanka contrary to election laws in the Island, the journalist said what was being contemplated was an independent purely Sri Lankan party affiliated to the BJP and not an Indian BJP branch transplanted in Sri Lanka. The plan was to start a Hindu nationalist party in Sri Lanka based on \u201cHindutva\u201d ideology. Some Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus had shown great interest in the concept when Hindutva activists from India travelled to the North and East of Sri Lanka and interacted with Hindus there said the well-informed Indian journalist.<\/p>\n

What then is Hindutva?According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics and International Relations, \u201cHindutva\u201d meaning \u201cHindunes\u201d refers to the ideology of Hindu nationalists, stressing the common culture of the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent. The Dictionary of Human Geography, says “Hindutva encapsulates the cultural justification of Hindu nationalism, a “Hinduness” allegedly shared by all Hindus. A Political and Economic Dictionary of South Asia notes “One of the main purposes behind the concept of Hindutva was to construct a collective identity to support the cause of ‘Hindu-unity\u201d.<\/p>\n

Although the EC chairman has stated that a branch of a foreign political party cannot be established in Sri Lanka there is no bar to forming a political party aligned to a political party in another country. After all did we not have Communist parties aligned to Moscow and Peking (Beijing)? Therefore it is possible to form an independent political party in Sri Lanka that has links with or is aligned to the BJP. Such a party can seek recognition from the Elections Dept to contest elections after five years of political activity. It can also acquire an already registered Political party and re-name it while retaining the approved symbol.<\/p>\n

Three Persons Involved in the BJP Exercise.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Who then are the people who are trying to start a BJP aligned party in Sri Lanka? Upon making inquiries, I was told by informed sources in Jaffna of three persons being involved in the BJP exercise. One was Sakthikreevan the head of the Hindu organization \u201cInthu Samayap Peravai\u201d. The other was a businessman cum entrepreneur Muthuswamy. The third and most important was Satchithanandan the founder- leader of the \u201cSiva Senai\u201dmovement in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

I was trying to contact Satchithanandan and ascertain whether he was involved in starting the BJP or BJP aligned party when I saw an interview by him confirming that he was indeed the prime mover.Satchithanandan known as \u201cMaravanpulavu\u201d Satchithanandan on account of his native village in Jaffna -Maravanpulavu in the Thenmaratchy division of the peninsula- had given an exclusive interview in Tamil to an Indian website named \u201cOne India\u201d. It was also reproduced by some Sri Lankan Tamil newspapers.<\/p>\n

In that interview Sathchithanandan confirmed that efforts were underway to establish a party called\u201dIlankai Bharatheeya Janathak Katchi(Sri Lanka Bharatiya Janata Party) in the Island soon. Referring to the religion as \u201cSaivam\u201d(Shaivism) and not Hinduism, Satchithanandan said the party\u2019s aim was to revive Shaivism in Sri Lanka by bringing about a Saivite renaissance. (Saivam or Shaivism is one of the two major traditions in Hinduism where Lord Shiva is worshipped as the foremost Supreme God or \u201cMuzhumuthatkadavul\u201d.<\/p>\n

Satchithanandan said a Saivaite resurgence was not possible without political power. The Christians and Muslims in Sri Lanka had political power but not the Saivites. The new party would train political speakers and build up a political vote bank. Only non -Christians and non \u2013 Muslims would be admitted as party members. Satchithanndan said the new party would be formally inaugurated soon and that there were no plans to invite BJP leaders from India as special guests for the opening ceremony.<\/p>\n

In spite of the BJP being the ruling party in India, it has not been able to gain support in the state of Tamil Nadu the homeland of 70 million Tamil speaking people. The \u201cModi\u201d wave that engulfed India could not make any headway in Tamil Nadu. In fact many in Tamil Nadu perceive the BJP as an anti-Tamil party. In that context would the BJP be supported by the Sri Lankan Tamils asked the interviewer. Satchithanandan replied \u201cThe situation is different. In Tamil Nadu due to unavoidable reasons there is Atheism, opposition to Hindi and Sanskrit and anti-brahminism. In Sri Lanka none are against Sanskrit or Hindi or Brahmins. There are virtually no Atheist sentiments\u201d.<\/p>\n

While stating that his party was not open to Christans and Muslims,Satchithanandan said all non \u2013 Christians and non -Muslims were welcome to join the BJP and that he was confident a large number of Sinhala Buddhists would become members. When the interviewer asked\u201dIf so why are the Sinhala Buddhist leaders in Sri Lanka opposing the BJP,? Satchithanandan replied \u201dThat is due to resentment and fear over Indian hegemonism. Sinhalese are afraid of Indian Hegemony. Today even if Lord Buddha were to come to Sri Lanka, Buddhists may oppose even Lord Buddha if they think Indian Hegemonism would accompany him. The Sinhalese need not fear Indian Hegemony. Indian Hegemonism has done much good for the Sinhalese and helped make them into what they are now\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaravanpulavu\u201d Kanapathipillai Satchithanandan <\/strong><\/p>\n

Kanapathipillai Satchithanandan known as \u201cMaravanpulavu Satchi\u201d or \u201cMaravanpulavu Sathchithanandan was born in 1941 and educated at Jaffna Hindu College. Satchi obtained a Bachelors degree in Zoology and a Masters degree in Marine Biology from the Madras university. He worked in Colombo as a researcher at the Fisheries Dept for several years. After being a victim of racist violence in 1977, he relocated to Jaffna and served as a lecturer at the university of Jaffna. During this time he claims to have been elected to the Central committee of the ITAK then a component of the TULF.<\/p>\n

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Bal Thackeray<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1979 Satchithanandan obtained a Consultant\/adviser post at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and worked in 23 countries for many years. After his FAO stint Satchithanandan took up residence in the Tamil Nadu capital of Chennai where he established a publishing enterprise called \u201cKaanthalagham\u201d. He also engaged in electronic commerce selling books through the website known as \u201cThamil Nool\u201d. While in India he was arrested and retained for several months for allegedly aiding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE)<\/p>\n

Satchi moved to Sri Lanka after the war ended in 2009 and set up \u201cKaanthalagham\u201d in Jaffna. He also aspired to be the chief minister of the Northern Province. After CV Wiigneswaran was made chief minister, Satchithanandan got estranged with the ITAK. The one-time ardent Tamil nationalist turned into a Hindu chauvinist. He established links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) which is the paterfamilias of the family of Hindutva organizations – called \u201cSangh Parivar\u201d-including the BJP.<\/p>\n

In 2016 Satchithanandan formed an organization called the \u201cSiva Senai\u201d (Sivas army) . It was modelled on the \u201cShiv Sena\u201d(Shivaji\u2019s army) founded in Maharashtra state by cartoonist Bal Thackeray. Incidently Thackeray started the Shiv Sena to drive out Tamils, Malayalees and Telugus from Bombay now known as Mumbai. The Shiv in Thackeray\u2019s Shiv Sena refers to the famous Mahratta warrior king Shivaji and does not refer to Lord Shiva. This did not deter Satchi from using the same name.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMaravanpulavu\u201d Satchithanandan<\/p><\/div>\n

The Siva Senai staged demonstrations against cattle slaughter and selling of beef in the North. Leaflets and pamphlets were issued under counterfeit titles (to avoid being prosecuted) against Christians and Muslims. The call was for Hindus to boycott Muslim businesses and to refrain from voting for Christian candidates. There was also a call for the expulsion of Muslims and Christians from Jaffna described as \u201cSiva bhoomi\u201d(Lord Shiva\u2019s earth). There was a backlash against Satchi in Jaffna for his neo-fascist utterances. He was accused of sowing discordant enmity between communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaivath Thamizh Thesiyak Katchi\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the 2020 Parliamentary elections, Satchithanandan floated a party called the \u201cSaivath Thamizh Thesiyak Katchi\u201d (STTK) meaning Saivaite Tamil nationalist party.It contested in the Wanni district as an independent group. The key propagandist. Satchit himself did not contest but functioned as The group targeted Hindu votes by attacking Christians and Muslims. The independent group targeted Wanni district candidates like Rishad Bathiudeen, Kader Masthan, Selvam Adaikkalanathan and Charles Nirmalanathan. All four were elected as MP\u2019s.The STTK independent group was trounced at the hustings.<\/p>\n

It appears now that the never say die \u201cMaravanpulavu\u201d Satchithanandan is embarking on another political mission of religious hatred by forming the Ilankai Bharatiya Janata Party.Ironically Bharatiya means Indian. So it does seem incongruous for a party to call itself \u201cSri Lankan Indian\u201d. In earlier times, the Ceylon Indian Congress (CIC) too changed is name to Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) .<\/p>\n

Secular Tradition of Sri Lankan Tamil Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is also not known whether Satchithanandan and his fellow travellers have the tacit approval of India\u2019s BJP for this endeavour. One thing however is certain. The strong secular tradition of Sri lankan Tamil politics will not even be dented by the BJP of Sri Lanka. The basic truth of the Tamil predicament in Sri Lanka is due to Tamils being victimised because they are Tamils and not because they are Hindus or Christians.<\/p>\n

DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com<\/font> <\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This is an Updated Version of an Article written for the \u201cDBS Jeyaraj \u201d Column in the \u201cDaily Mirror \u201d of Feb 20th 2021. It can be accessed here:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dailymirror.lk\/opinion\/The-Man-Behind-Moves-to-Form-the-BJP-in-Sri-Lanka\/172-206206<\/a><\/p>\n

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The “Maravanpulavu” Man Behind Moves to Form the “BJP” in Sri Lanka ~ by D.B.S.JEYARAJ<\/p><\/div>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This is an Updated Version of an Article written for the \u201cDBS Jeyaraj \u201d Column in the \u201cDaily Mirror \u201d of Feb 20th 2021.) The flower bud is the accredited electoral symbol of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) which is ruling Sri Lanka. However the image of that flower bud resembles the …<\/p>\n

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