Not here to do politics - Sri Lankan diplomat clarifies meeting with Puducherry fishermen

The Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Southern India, Ganesanathan Geathiswaran, denied on Sunday (April 5) that he participated in a meeting with fishermen organized by any political party. He described the gathering as a "routine visit" and emphasized that it was not affiliated with any political group, stating, “I’m not here to do politics.” Pawan Khera, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), criticized the meeting in a social media post. He claimed it took place in the last week of March and argued that it violated the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which requires foreign diplomats to avoid interference in a state’s internal matters. Khera also noted that both India and Sri Lanka are signatories to this Convention. He questioned whether the Election Commission of India (ECI) would take action against the political party involved and the BJP for hosting a diplomat at a political event. Speaking to The Hindu from Kanniyakumari, Geathiswaran explained, “Since I arrived here for my official role in southern India, I have been engaging with fishermen. Several fishermen's associations visited me in my Chennai office six months ago. This is my fourth meeting with them.” He recalled interacting with fishermen in various locations, including Puducherry, Nagapattinam, and Kanniyakumari. When asked about the criticism surrounding his meeting, Geathiswaran reiterated, “I’m not here to do politics. I have no political affiliations. I did not attend the meeting representing any political party.” Addressing concerns regarding his actions and the Vienna Convention, he clarified, “I did not engage in any political campaign. The meeting took place in an open area near the seashore and was not held on a stage in a public venue.” Earlier, Jose Charles Martin, president of the Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), shared photos on social media showing Geathiswaran at a gathering. Martin stated he invited Geathiswaran to meet and talk with fishermen from Vaithikuppam in Puducherry about their issues, which were discussed during the meeting. He quoted Geathiswaran as saying he would work to help resolve those concerns, thanks to Martin's efforts.