Sept 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) says the government needed to work towards formulating a political solution to the ethic issue in order to rebuild the strained relations with India.

UNP parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera has told parliament that Sri Lanka's relations with India have been affected due to the government's failure to honor its assurances given to New Delhi.

"South India was completely silent during the height to the war when the Tamils were getting killed here. Now they are creating all these problems and even the Central government is helpless, as they also know that our government did not adhere to what they said," Jayasekera has said.

He has noted that the President had promised to implement the 13th Amendment and devolve power beyond it, but has still not kept his word.

He has added that the ultimate victims of this petty political game and double standards were Sri Lankan pilgrims who recently visited Tamil Nadu.