The Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh expressed this concern to a delegation of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) of Sri Lanka when the latter called on him here on Tuesday.

A six-member delegation of the TNA is on a visit to India from June 16. The delegation is led by R Sampanthan, MP and consists of Mavai S. Senathirajah, (MP), K. Suresh Premachandran (MP), P Selvarajah (MP), Selvam Adaikkalanathan (MP) and MA Sumanthiran (MP). A TNA delegation had also visited India in October 2012.

The TNA delegation had earlier called on the Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and the National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon.

Dr Singh conveyed to the TNA delegation that he was dismayed by reports suggesting that the Government of Sri Lanka planned to dilute certain key provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution ahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council. It was noted that the proposed changes raised doubts about the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government to India and the international community, including the United Nations, on a political settlement in Sri Lanka that would go beyond the 13th Amendment.

He said he was “deeply concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.” He stressed on the expectation that the Sri Lankan Tamil community would lead a life of dignity, as equal citizens, and reiterated that India “would make every effort to ensure the achievement of a future for the community marked by equality, justice and self-respect.”

The proposed changes suggested in the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution would also be incompatible with the recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), set up by the Sri Lankan Government calling for a political settlement based on the devolution of power to the provinces.