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Fonseka's arrest a blow to democracy: Lankan oppn leader

Describing the detention of Sri Lanka's defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka as a "blow to democracy", the island nation's Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe on Wednesday said the former army chief was being victimised after the elections.

Updated on: Feb 10, 2010, 14:56:06 IST
PTI | By , Chennai
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Describing the detention of Sri Lanka's defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka as a "blow to democracy", the island nation's Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe on Wednesday said the former army chief was being victimised after the elections.

HT Image
HT Image

"There is no basis for his arrest. After the (presidential) elections, he (Fonseka) has been victimised," Wickramasinghe told reporters at the airport here.

"It is a blow to democracy in Sri Lanka," said Wickramasinghe, who was in India to met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in New Delhi to discuss issues relating to Indo-Lanka relations.

Wickramasinghe said if Fonseka had committed any offence, he had to be charged in court.

Asked how India should respond to Fonseka's arrest, he said, "India will do what is good.I will leave it to them to handle it in a more suitable way."

He also said he would move the Sri Lankan court to challenge Fonseka's arrest after meeting various leaders there.

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