Stalin Calls for India’s Diplomatic Intervention to Safeguard Tamil Rights in Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Reforms

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take proactive diplomatic steps to ensure that the rights and political aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils are protected during the drafting of Sri Lanka’s proposed new Constitution. In a detailed letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Stalin expressed deep concern over the direction of the constitutional reform process currently underway in the neighbouring country, warning that it could further marginalise the Tamil minority if their longstanding grievances are not adequately addressed.

Referring to representations received from Tamil leaders in both India and Sri Lanka, Mr. Stalin said the proposed constitutional framework appears to reinforce a rigid unitary state structure, which has historically contributed to the political exclusion and systemic discrimination of Tamils in Sri Lanka. He noted that all post-independence constitutions of Sri Lanka—adopted in 1947, 1972, and 1978—were rooted in such a unitary model, which, according to him, enabled ethnic domination and denied Tamils meaningful political autonomy.

The Chief Minister highlighted that, despite the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009, the past 16 years have seen continued challenges for Tamil communities, including demographic changes, land appropriation, and erosion of cultural and political identity in traditionally Tamil-inhabited regions. He cautioned that the current government in Sri Lanka, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and holding a parliamentary majority, appears to be accelerating constitutional changes without sufficiently addressing these concerns.

Mr. Stalin emphasized the continued relevance of the principles articulated by Tamil representatives during the 1985 Thimphu talks, which were facilitated by India. These principles include recognition of Sri Lankan Tamils as a distinct nationality, acknowledgment of the Northern and Eastern Provinces as their traditional homeland, the right to self-determination, full citizenship rights for Hill Country Tamils, and the establishment of a federal system that ensures equality and non-discrimination for all citizens. He warned that excluding these core elements from a new Constitution could perpetuate injustice, instability, and the risk of renewed conflict or humanitarian crises.

Underscoring India’s historical role in Sri Lanka, including the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, Mr. Stalin said New Delhi carries a moral and strategic responsibility to advocate for a constitutional process that genuinely addresses Tamil grievances. He added that the situation of Sri Lankan Tamils resonates deeply in Tamil Nadu due to strong historical, cultural, and emotional ties, and that any deterioration in their rights could have broader implications for regional stability and bilateral relations.

Calling for engagement at the highest diplomatic level, the Chief Minister urged the Union government to press for constitutional arrangements that devolve power to the provinces, protect minority rights, and uphold principles of pluralism and equality. Such an approach, he said, would contribute to a just and lasting resolution of Sri Lanka’s ethnic issues while aligning with India’s own constitutional values and commitment to regional peace.