The Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Monday called up the newly elected Indian President, Pranab Mukherjee, to convey his “heartfelt” congratulations and invite him to visit Sri Lanka at his earliest convenience, the Presidential Spokesman, Bandula Jayasekara, told newsmen here.
The majority Sinhalese community and the Sri Lankan government feel that as India’s External Affairs Minister during the final phase of Eelam War IV in Sri Lanka in 2009, Mukherjee had played a “moderating” role in the Centre when the Tamil Nadu politicians, including M Karunanidhi were calling for Indian intervention to stop the war and prevent the annihilation of the LTTE.