The central government has accepted Tamil Nadu’s request to send relief material to neighbouring Sri Lanka which is reeling under an acute economic crisis. Chief minister MK Stalin reacted to the development, saying the “humane gesture” will improve relations between the two nations.
Last week, the Tamil Nadu assembly passed a resolution seeking permission from the Centre to supply rice, essential commodities and life saving medicines to the tune of ₹123 crore as aid to Sri Lanka.
Stalin had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on March 31 and submitted a memorandum of demands which included seeking permission for Tamil Nadu to provide these items. Following that Stalin wrote a letter to external affairs minister S Jaishankar on April 15 and spoke to him over phone seeking early clearances and facilitation from the central government to start the supply of the aid.
Since there was no communication from the Centre, Tamil Nadu unanimously passed a resolution on April 29. On the same day, Stalin wrote a letter to Modi informing him of the resolution. Initially, the proposal was to provide aid to Tamil communities in the island nation but later the resolution decided to cover all Sri Lankans.
