President's Indian Visit a Huge Success
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The Island 4 Monday 14th June, 2010 Home News President’s Indian visit a huge success – GL ‘SL under no pressure from India on anything; CEPA not signed’ BY LAL GUNASEKERA pressure at all from India to sign the of 20 years. India would start work at CEPA agreement. the Kankesanthurai Port on Sunday xternal Affairs Minister Prof. G. Prof. Peiris said during the (June 20) and assist in the reconstruc- L. Peiris told the media yesterday President’s visit, he had met and held tion of the Alfred Duraiappah Stadium Ethat President Mahinda discussions with top Indian dignitaries in Jaffna as well as the Palaly airstrip. Rajapaksa had not signed the including the President, Prime Among the other matters dis- Comprehensive Economic Partnership Minister, senior cabinet Ministers, cussed during President Rajapaksa’s Agreement (CEPA) during his recent Leader of the Opposition and 20 MPs of state visit were the religious and cul- visit to India contrary to claims in the Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu and all tural ties between the two countries some quarters. of them had spoken highly of the polit- and India was willing to send the The Minister pointed out that ical stability in Sri Lanka after the vic- Kapilavastu Buddha relics to Sri Lanka Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Sing tories at the Presidential and for the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations, In this photo taken on Oct. 7, 2008, had said at the South Asian Parliamentary elections in January the Indo-Sri Lankan Ferry Service, tourists are seen in front of the 1,459- Association of Regional Cooperation and April respectively and India had training of public servants in all three year-old Meng Mountain Buddha in (SAARC) Summit in Colombo about pledged support for steps being taken to languages (English, Tamil and Taiyuan, in north China’s Shanxi one and a half years back and at other settle IDPs. Sinhala), streamlining of law enforce- fora that “the Indian Economy should Minister Peiris said that as a ment between the two countries and on Province. not grow in isolation in South Asia, but gesture of goodwill, India had agreed to the Sri Lankan government’s discus- together with the other countries in the grant US$ 250 million for the construc- sions with the Tamil National Alliance region.” tion of 50,000 homes for the IDPs, US$ (TNA) led by R. Sambandan and Eelam Buddha relics “Built on the trade agreement, 800 mn for the reconstruction of the People’s Democratic Party EPDP) led Sri Lanka must move forward to its northern railway lines and US$ 200 mn by Minister Douglas Devananda. own liking it must not only suit Sri for the Sampur power station. Thus, Prof. Peiris said that there had enshrined at Lanka, but also be convenient” the India had agreed to grant US$ 1.25 bil- been no pressure whatsoever from the Indian Premier had stated, Minister lion not as a commercial loan but as a Indian Government regarding any soft loan to be paid back over a period issue. Chinese temple Peiris said adding that there was no Prof. G. L. Peiris Millions watch relic enshrining ceremony on TV Beijing, June 12, 2010: Relics believed Pay... From Page 1 to be part of the skull of Gautama said President that if the government con- Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, found Rajapaksa’s rival in the pres- tinued to turn a blind eye to three years ago, were enshrined on idential race Gen. Sarath the issue, trade unions would Saturday at the Qixia Temple in Jiangsu Fonseka had promised Rs. be compelled to flex their province in China. 10,000 each to all public muscles. The promised incre- The relics were sent to the country employees with immediate ment with arrears must be from India by Emperor Ashoka and effect if he was elected paid this month, Lal Kantha buried beneath a Chinese temple over President. said. 1,000 years ago. After the presidential Labour Minister The casket, in which the relics and parliamentary elections, Minster Gamini Lokuge, con- known as sarirars (parts of the body of said Lal Kantha, the cost of tacted for comment, said Buddha) were preserved in two different living had gone through the President Rajapaksa had boxes, was opened amid chanting by the roof and the people badly clearly stated that the salary monks. needed a salary increase. He increment he had promised The casket, containing a small-size said the minimum basic would be incorporated into salary of a state employee the 2010 budget scheduled to stupa of Emperor Ashoka in which the was Rs. 11,730 and he or she be presented in Parliament relics were preserved, is the largest and was entitled to a Rs. 5,250 in the second week of July. finest ever found in China. cost of living allowance, but He said there was no need for “Its complicated techniques are Rs. 38,800 was required by a the JVP to instigate trade rarely seen as it was made 1,000 years family of four to cover the union action as the govern- ago” and it was discovered during excava- monthly expenses according ment would look after the tions of the temple three years ago, to the government’s own sta- workers. according to one Buddhist scholar. tistics for April 2010. He said that he had The casket made of gold, silver and “We have already sent started discussions with sandalwood was found among scattered a letter to President Wages Board regarding the objects in an underground chamber. The Rajapaksa setting out our salary increments for private relics were kept carefully in a small box demands,” he said adding sector employees. made of gold, which also contained a bot- tle of perfume. According to Buddhist scriptures, Tamil... From Page 1 Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena inspects a maize cultivation at the Mahailuppallama Emperor Ashoka collected all of Saturday is an example that No one claimed respon- Agriculture Research Centre during a recent inspection tour. The Minister also visited the Field Crop Buddha’s’s sarira and stored them in the state has turned into a safe sibility for the explosion. But Research and Development Institution, Agri Technical Research Centre, Seed Nursery and Seed pagoda-shaped shrines, before sending haven for terrorists and sepa- unconfirmed reports said police them to different parts of the world. Research Institution during this tour. ratists and the worsening of the recovered a paper stating the China is believed to have received law and order situation in the blast was to protest against the 19 of them. Search is on for the rest. (The state,” she said. June 8-11 visit of Sri Lankan Hindu) “Thousands of passen- President Mahinda Rajapaksa Boat... From Page 1 SLTB’s... From Page 1 Meanwhile, Times of India said gers have been put to difficulty to India. been brought under his ministry millions of television viewers and for more than six hours due to The Salem Express felt Kobbekaduwa was on an also in the boat at the time. inspection tour of the Kandy After the completion of the in keeping with a presidential direc- Internet users in China watched the this act of sabotage. As the a huge jerk while crossing enshrining of the relic. The official televi- blast occurred minutes before Sithanai village in Villupuram Lake when the boat engine inspection of the Lake, Deputy tive. The president had directed that sion showed discussion with experts. the arrival of Rockfort Express district around 2.20 a.m., forc- failed. Minister S. M. Chandrasena all institutions which dealt with the a major accident was averted ing the guard to contact station The Deputy Minister and said he would do everything youth be placed under the Youth by stopping the train,” she said masters of the Perani and the governor had to board possible to protect the histori- Affairs Ministry. in a statement issued here. Mundiambakkam railway sta- another boat to resume their cal Kandy Lake. The minister pointed out that of Robbery of gold in Stating that the state tions. tour. He said he would deploy a 14-point memorandum received police fear the criminals and The railway officials in Regional Director, five security personnel from from the staff, the first ten issues separatists, Jayalalithaa said turn warned the oncoming Irrigation Ms C. H. Devandra the Mahaweli Authority to related to their perks and privileges, Kiribathgoda: One murders, robberies and activi- Rockfort Express driver who and Kandy Irrigation Engineer guard the lake round the clock he said. He assured them that they ties of terrorists and separatists slowed down and stopped the Kumudini Deera and Kandy and steps would be taken to would not be denied whatever they suspect taken in are on the rise in the state. train before the blast occurred. Municipal Commissioner punish those who polluted the had been entitled to by the time he Passengers of two Tamil Nadu Director took it over. (SF) BY NORMAN PALIHAWADANA trains had a narrow escape General of Police (DGP) Letika Chandana Tennakoon were lake. when a blast destroyed three Saran ruled out the involvement feet of rail track and caused a of Maoists in the blast and said The Kiribathgoda police investigat- four-feet crater around 2 a.m. it could be the handiwork of JVP... From Page 1 ing the recent robbery of 48 gold sover- eigns from the residence of an SLAF near Perani railway station, local elements. – (IANS) forge links with our northern counterparts and Jaffna University had rightly denied its activists around 160 km from here. officer near the police station have we carried books and crutches for the disabled entry, he said.