President Premadasa threatened to go to war with India in 1989 if the Indian military did not withdraw its troops, revealed the former Indian High Commissioner to Colombo, Lakhan Lal Mehrotra.
According to Mehrotra if India did not withdraw, Premadasa threatened that he would claim on state TV that Sri Lankan forces had captured the North-East, saying, “and then if the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) resented, there would be hostility and war,”
Mehrotra is said to have replied, “Excellency, I have come here to discuss peace with you, but if you want war you will have it.”
Commenting on that conversation, Mehrotra recalled, “these words, delivered in a very serious manner, brought him down. I was observing him keenly; he was not expecting that kind of reply. He was virtually shaking and could not speak for a minute or two.”
Mehrotra also claims that Premadasa threatened to abrogate the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord, asserting that he did not care if there was a break down in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Premadasa reportedly said that he would declare India an occupying force in order to damage New Delhi's reputation, to which Mehrotra replied, "we will take care of our reputation".
According to Mehrotra, Premadasa replied angrily, “It will cost me my political future and your next visit will be for my funeral!”
