New Delhi: India on Thursday defended its High Commissioner in Colombo, Nirupama Rao, after a senior Sri Lankan minister accused her of meddling in the island nation's internal affairs and asked her to 'mind your own business'.
"It is not India's policy to interfere in the internal affairs of any country," the External Affairs Ministry said in its reaction to the controvery.
"Our High Commissioner in Colombo, Nirupama Rao, is a senior diplomat and has conducted herself in accordance with the highest professional standards. Her contribution to strengthen Indo-Sri Lankan bilateral relations is well appreciated by the host government," it said.
In an unusually scathing attack, Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike had said in Parliament on Wednesday that "the pretty Mrs Rao should look after her embassy and we will look after our own internal affairs."
Sri Lankan official sources, however, called the minister's outburst 'absolutely unwarranted'.
A report in the Island newspaper quoted an unnamed government official as saying that Bandaranaike's comments did not reflect government thinking.
It was, however, not known as to what prompted the minister's attack against the Indian High Commissioner. Bandaranaike said both his parents, who were prime ministers, and the sister Chandrika Kumaratunga, who retired as president last year, maintained good relations with India and that Rao should not 'meddle' in Sri Lanka.
Bandaranaike said he was saddened to hear that former Pakistan High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohammad had claimed after returning to Pakistan that last month's bomb attack on him in Colombo was 'orchestrated' by India.
Bandaranaike said Sri Lanka considered both India and Pakistan as friends but wanted no interference in its internal affairs, and would not let Sri Lanka become the 'playground for their fights', the Island quoted the minister as saying.
(With inputs from agencies)
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