‘Trivial charges’: Shashi Tharoor condemns arrest of ex-Sri Lankan president; cautions against ‘vendetta
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‘Trivial charges’: Shashi Tharoor condemns arrest of ex-Sri Lankan president
Indian politician Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed concern over the detention of former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. He warned against what he described as “the politics of vengeance”
In a post on social media, Tharoor said the former leader was being held on what, at first sight, appeared to be trivial charges. He noted that Wickremesinghe’s health had already deteriorated in custody, leading to his transfer from the prison hospital to the National Hospital in Colombo.
Calling on the Sri Lankan authorities to respect the nation’s judicial process while ensuring humane treatment, Tharoor urged that Wickremesinghe be accorded dignity after his decades of service to the country.
The Indian parliamentarian, who met Wickremesinghe earlier this month during a visit to Colombo, stressed that while this remains an internal matter for Sri Lanka, its handling will be closely observed beyond its borders. (Newswire)
‘Trivial charges’: Shashi Tharoor condemns arrest of ex-Sri Lankan president; cautions against ‘vendetta politics’
“I call on the government of Sri Lanka to stop using public money for private gain,” he said. “The public should not be used as a political tool, but as a tool for the betterment of the country,’’ he added. ‘The public is not to be used for political gain, but for the good of the nation.’ ‘We are the people, not the politicians, and we should be able to use our power to make a difference in the lives of the people’
on Sunday voiced concern over the arrest of former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, describing the charges against him as “trivial” and urging Colombo to refrain from the”politics of vengeance.
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“Concerned about the detention of former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on what, on the face of it, seem trivial charges. His health issues have already seen him taken to the prison hospital,” Tharoor, a former diplomat, wrote on X while sharing an old photograph with the Sri Lankan leader.
Tharoor tweet
“I call on the government of Sri Lanka — while fully respecting that this is their internal matter — to abjure the politics of vengeance and treat their former President with the respect and dignity that he deserves, after his decades of service to the nation,” he added.
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The 76-year-old Sri Lankan politician was arrested on Friday on allegations of state funds’ misuse, as reported by Newswire Lanka.
His arrest is linked to allegations of using state funds to cover the expenses for a private visit to London, where he had attended a university graduation ceremony.
Investigators allege that the trip, which formed part of a wider overseas tour, was not an official engagement but was financed with government money.
Wickremesinghe, who also served as the island nation’s prime minister, assumed office as its interim president in July 2022 following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s removal. He lost the presidential elections to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of National People’s Power, in September 2024.