Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his speech in New Delhi, said by defeating the LTTE, he not only freed Sri Lanka, but also saved India. 

“We did not at any time, wage an ethnic war: the military action was certainly not directed against the Tamil community. It must not be forgotten that the reach of this terrorist organisation was not confined to Sri Lanka, but extended to Indian soil where they assassinated Shri Rajiv Gandhi and many others," Rajapaksa said in his speech at an event, facilitated by the Virat Hindustan Sangam, headed by Dr. Subramanian Swamy. 

“Eradication of terrorism was not for the sole benefit of one community, or even for one country,” said Mr. Rajapaksa arguing that not completing the military campaign that led to the killing of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, would have amounted to “betrayal of coming generations," he said. 

“Extravagant numbers reaching up to 40,000 have been recklessly bandied about as the alleged scale of fatal casualties. This is false and malicious propaganda...the number of casualties, including terrorist casualties, would probably not have exceeded, 8,000,” 

Giving an intrduction to Rajapaksa, Swamy said the former President was the frontrunner for the next government and hopefully he would be President of Sri Lanka soon.