28 years after Rajiv Gandhi's near disastrous visit, confident PM Modi strides into Sri Lanka

Colombo: Optics, symbolism and body language are crucially important in diplomacy. If one goes by that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a powerful statement in Sri Lanka already. He came here with folded hands, and then stretched out his arms with an open mind. In bitter contrast, the last time an Indian Prime Minister visited Colombo – Rajiv Gandhi on 30 July, 1987 – he was famously hit by a soldier’s rifle butt when he was inspecting a guard of honour. If Rajiv Gandhi had not been alert and ducked, he may have died on the spot. Wijemuni Vijitha Rohana de Silva’s rifle butt hit Rajiv on the shoulder, not on the head where it was meant to land. Wijemuni instantaneously became a popular figure, so much so that after his release from prison he even contested a general election under a ticket for the Sihala Urumaya party in 2000, but lost. Less than two years ago, he admitted in an on-record interview that he intended to kill the Indian premier. Read the full interview here. [caption id=“attachment_2152567” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Modi with President Maithripala Sirisena: PTI[/caption] Wijemuni’s action was meant to be an act of revenge against Rajiv Gandhi’s fateful decision of sending the Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka. This was the time when India-Sri Lanka relations were at their nadir and anti-India rabid Tamil parties were born and got strengthened in Tamil Nadu and Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the LTTE in Tamil Nadu on 21 May, 1991. This contrasting tale of two Indian Prime Ministers in Sri Lanka conveys a lot. To drive the point further home, PM Modi visited the IPKF memorial here and paid homage to IPKF soldiers. This ritual will definitely become a must-do for all future Indian Prime Ministers who visit Sri Lanka. The significance of his visit is not lost on Modi himself. Sample his words in his media statement after his talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena: “I am conscious of the significance of this visit. It is the first standalone bilateral visit to Sri Lanka by an Indian Prime Minister since 1987. Last month, President Sirisena honoured us by making India his first foreign visit as a President. I am glad to be here so soon. This is how it should be between neighbours. We should meet regularly. It helps us understand each other better; find solutions to mutual concerns; and, move our relationship forward. That is what we achieved in my meetings with President Sirisena today.” The fact that Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister in almost 28 years to visit the island-nation it does not mean that the two sides did not enjoy good political relations earlier. It also does not mean that the Congress-ruled India did not have good relations with Sri Lanka. Non-Congress governments have  been in power for about a decade since 1987, which is when Rajiv Gandhi visited Sri Lanka. All governments in India, irrespective of which party or a coalition of parties were in power, had contributed to further improving India-Sri Lanka ties despite the acute complexities presented by the LTTE. Ever since the IPKF blunder, no sitting Indian Prime Minister could even entertain the thought of visiting Sri Lanka for security reasons as the entire island country reeled under terror attacks from the LTTE. Modi has visited Sri Lanka at an opportune time, almost six years after the LTTE was vanquished militarily by Sri Lankan troops. With the threat of terror out of way, India and Sri Lanka can now boost their all-round bilateral relationship and forge closer ties. This is what PM Modi is doing.