Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Sri Lanka’s Tamils to be patient with the new government in Colombo, ‘The Hindu’ reported, citing ‘sources.’

Modi met senior leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in Colombo yesterday.

Pointing to the “beginning of change” in the country following the victory of President Maithripala Sirisena in the January elections, Modi reportedly said the TNA should “help that change take place,” and not derail the process.

Modi urged the TNA to ensure that the party spoke in one voice, asking its “think tank” to come up with a different strategy to engage with the newly-formed government, TNA sources told ‘The Hindu’.

Speaking to ‘The Hindu’, TNA spokesperson Suresh Premachandran said: “We brought up the issue of private land in Army control and the release of political prisoners. Mr. Modi told us that he had raised the issues with President Sirisena, and that he had assured to do the needful.”

Meanwhile, TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran commented on the speech by Modi at the Sri Lanka Parliament, stating that Modi made a an “excellent speech” with a strong case for greater devolution in a manner that was not “overbearing”.

“I am firm believer in cooperative federalism,” Modi said in his address.

Modi’s meeting with the TNA delegation was held on the eve of the PM’s visit to the island’s Tamil-majority Northern Province.
(With inputs from The Hindu)