Govt. not transparent on MoUs to be signed with India during PM Modi’s visit: SJB MP

Many MoUs to be signed today

By Yohan Perera

The government has not been transparent in dealing with MoUs that are to be signed today with India in the presence of visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an opposition MP alleged yesterday.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahman told a media briefing that MoUs are to be signed today without informing Parliament. “We have reasons to believe that even the cabinet has not been adequately briefed about the agreements. Also we are suspicious whether President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is adequately aware of the agreements,” Rahman said.

“Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence should be briefed about the defence pact which is expected to be signed today. It is proper that such a pact should be discussed by the consultative committee,” he said. “We believe that an agreement to connect the Indian and Sri Lankan electricity grid and an agreement to introduce digital identity cards for Sri Lankans are to be signed as well. Many MoUs are to be signed today. It is proper for the government to inform the public about the agreements. We are not against the visit of Mr. Modi or India. In fact it is important for Sri Lanka to work closely with India but what we oppose is the lack of transparency when it comes to dealing with the MoUs that are to be signed with India,” the MP added.

Also, he said it is ironic that the NPP government has been compelled to sign Indo-Lanka agreements which they themselves opposed while in the opposition.” It was the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which talked about Indian expansionism years ago. One wonders whether they have invited Mr. Modi to attend a commemorative ceremony to remember its dead cadres during the insurgency which they launched in 1971 on a day like today,” he also said.