Pranab Mukherjee was close friend of Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa

Colombo [Sri Lanka], September 2 : Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday paid rich tributes to late former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and said he was as a "close friend" of the island country and its people.
Rajapaksa visited the India House here and wrote about Mukherjee in the condolence book. In a tweet, the High Commission of India in Colombo thanked Rajapaksa for being the first to offer his condolences at the India House.
"Thank you HE PM Mahinda Rajapaksa for being the first to offer condolence at India House on the demise of former President of India Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee," the High Commission said.
Quoting Rajapaksa, the High Commission said, "Your personal thoughts and sentiments and those of the people of Sri Lanka are a source of comfort to the bereaved family and the people of India at this hour of grief."
Rajapaksa said people of Sri Lanka and India will miss the benevolent leadership of Mukherjee.
"In his condolence message, HE PM Mahinda Rajapaksa remembered the former President Pranab Mukherjee as a close friend of Sri Lanka and its people and said that people of India, Sri Lanka and the world will miss his benevolent leadership," the High Commission said in a tweet.
Mukherjee, who had tested positive for coronavirus, breathed his last on Monday, weeks after his brain surgery. He was 84.
In his long political career, he held several top posts including that of External Affairs Minister, Defence Minister and Finance Minister.
The former President was cremated with full state honours on Tuesday.
The Government of India has announced seven-day official mourning.