Rajiv Gandhi' award to be presented to Sri Lankan President - M. S. Bitta

Thu, May 21, 2009, 07:13 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
May 21, Colombo: The All India Anti Terrorist Front (AIATF) has decided to present the 'Rajiv Gandhi' award to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for eradicating terrorism.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Delhi C.R Jayasinghe confirmed that he was informed by the Chairman of the All India Anti Terrorist Front (AIATF) M S Bitta over this award this morning during a special discussion with him.
"Sri Lanka has ended 35 years of terrorism within a month. It has set a unique precedent for other countries facing the ugly menace of terrorism," Bitta has told the High Commissioner.
Bitta has said that a 15-member delegation of his organistaion will visit Sri Lanka within a fortnight and present the 'Rajiv Gandhi' award to President Rajapaksa for his brave effort.
According to the AIATF the killing of Prabhakaran four days before the 18th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi is a big gift to India.
Drawing a parallel between LTTE's defeat in Sri Lanka and end of militancy in Punjab, All India Anti Terrorist Front (AIATF) Chairman M S Bitta today said the fall of Prabhakaran, who assassinated former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was a"gift" to India
. "Sri Lanka has ended 35 years of terrorism within a month. It has set a unique precedent for other countries facing the ugly menace of terrorism,"Bitta, who called on Sri Lankan High Commissioner C R Jaisinghe at the Lankan embassy here, told media.
"The killing of Prabhakaran four days before the 18th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi is a big gift to India. The people of India and the Congress government have been demanding that Prabhakaran be handed over to India dead or alive for assassination of Rajivji,"he said.He compared the LTTE's defeat with the end of militancy in Punjab.
" This is similar to then Congress government under P V Narasimha Rao ending the two decade-long militancy in Punjab within a year." Bitta said that a 15-member delegation of his organistaion will visit Sri Lanka within a fortnight and present' Rajiv Gandhi' award to Rajapaksa"whose emboldened decision brought down the terror regime of LTTE".On cross-border terrorism, Bitta said," Pakistan is now battling terror forces within that country. [...]