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Various information regarding the event held in India for Republic Day, with a group of Sri Lankan opposition MPs as invited guests, is circulating online, and much of it appears to be presented with exaggeration.
This event and the main Republic Day celebration are two separate events, with the main celebration being held in New Delhi with high-level diplomatic invitees.
This event is being held in the state of Odisha, India, at KIIT, or Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, located at Bhubaneswar, India, Odisha. It is being held on a field adjacent to their institute with a group of students, under the leadership of the institute's head, Professor Achyuta Samanta.
(He is the one riding in a vehicle with Namal Rajapaksa and saluting)
As Republic Day is a special occasion celebrated across India, many institutions have celebrated it at their respective organizational levels, and this technical institute has also followed suit.
The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, a prominent name in India's vocational education sector, is also referred to as KIIT University in some places. Its website states that it is currently an institution that has earned international recognition for its quality academic courses and humanitarian services, and has a history of 25 years.
It is not mentioned how a selected group from the Sri Lankan opposition was chosen for this official visit or for what purpose the invitation was extended.
It is also noteworthy that Professor Achyuta Samanta, the head of the institute, in an Instagram post about this event, mentioned that Namal Rajapaksa, who attended the event, is the 'Leader of the Opposition' in Sri Lanka.
That English post stated:
This year, we were happy to share this occasion with a delegation of 10 Members of Parliament from Sri Lanka, including Mr Namal Rajapaksa, Leader of the Opposition, and Mr Chithral Fernando, Leader of the Delegation, along with other Hon’ble MPs. Their presence reflected the long-standing friendship between our two countries.
Sinhala translation of the full post below
This year, the Republic Day celebration, jointly organized by Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) on the occasion of India's Republic Day, was held in a grand manner with the participation of a Sri Lankan delegation.
The founder of KIIT stated that every year on Republic Day, students of these institutions present parades and various cultural performances with great discipline and pride, and witnessing their dedication brings him quiet joy.
This year's celebration was particularly special due to the participation of a ten-member parliamentary delegation representing the Sri Lankan Parliament, which included Mr. Namal Rajapaksa, the Leader of the Opposition in Sri Lanka, as well as Mr. Chithral Fernando, the Leader of the Delegation, and other Hon'ble Members of Parliament. University authorities point out that the presence of the Sri Lankan representatives will be instrumental in further strengthening the long-standing friendship between India and Sri Lanka.
The institution shared many special moments from this Republic Day celebration held at the KIIT and KISS campuses, extending greetings to everyone. The observation of the work of such an international-level educational institution by Sri Lankan leaders can be considered a new milestone in bilateral relations.
In addition to Namal Rajapaksa, Members of Parliament Mr. Chithral Fernando, Ms. Chamindrani Kiriella, Mr. Chathura Galappaththi, and Mr. Prasad Siriwardhana,
Former Members of Parliament Mr. Indika Anuruddha, Mr. Sanjeeva Edirimanna, and Mr. Sampath Athukorala were also present. Additionally, Mr. Milinda Rajapaksha, a member of the political bureau of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, was included in this delegation.
The full video of the Republic Day celebration held today (26) by that technical institute can be viewed at this link on the official KIIT Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/KIITUniversity/videos/1962698364650014/
