NEW DELHI -- With the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) decimated in the northern provinces of Sri Lanka, India is now seeking greater involvement in the welfare of the Tamils in the island country. New Delhi is looking to supply electricity, rehabilitate and resettle displaced Tamils, and rebuild infrastructure in general. And this month, Rahul Gandhi, the general secretary of the ruling Congress party and son of the all-powerful Sonia Gandhi, emphasized that India will do everything in its power to protect the rights of the Tamil population in Sri Lanka.
"The central government is applying as much pressure as possible on the Sri Lankan government," Gandhi declared. "Congress wants the rights of the Tamils guaranteed. There is absolutely no question about it. We will do everything to protect them."
Measures announced by India in the post-LTTE era include a $100 million relief package for the estimated half-million war-affected Tamil Sri Lankans, as well as help in demining the LTTE-controlled areas.