MEA says fully support SL democracy; high commission denies politicians fleeing to India

With Sri Lanka reeling under the weight of violent protests, India broke its silence on developments in Colombo to say it will always be guided by the best interests of the people of Sri Lanka expressed through democratic processes.
As a close neighbour of Sri Lanka with historical ties, India is fully supportive of its democracy, stability and economic recovery, said the MEA in a statement. The statement is significant as it suggests India’s interests lie with the people of Sri Lanka and not with any political party or group.
“It is ultimately not so much about the governments of the day as it is about long term relationships with the people of Sri Lanka,” said a source. Despite its efforts to bail Sri Lanka out, India has still not forgotten it was under Mahinda that Chinese footprints grew in Lanka.
“In keeping with our Neighbourhood First policy, India has extended this year alone support worth over $3.5 billion to the people of Sri Lanka for helping them overcome current difficulties. In addition, the people of India have provided assistance for mitigating the shortages of essential items ,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
The Indian high commission has recently noticed rumours circulating in sections of media and social media that certain political persons and their families have fled to India. These are fake and blatantly false reports,devoid of any truth or substance. The high commission strongly denies them, it said in a tweet.