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Ranil vows to form ‘national parliament’
By
Kushali Atukorale and Aisha Edris
Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday vowed to form a
‘national parliament’ as soon as the ‘Rajapaksa junta’
is chased away.
Addressing a ‘Jana Rala’ last evening, Wickremesinghe
also demanded for the formation of a new constitution which he said
would uphold the rights of the people. He also charged that the
President Mahinda Rajapaksa led administration had successfully
deformed the 1978 constitution and as a result the masses were demanding
for a fresh constitution.
He emphasised that there weren’t any legal procedures seconded
by the Prime Minister and the ministers for the decisions taken
by the Presidents during cabinet meetings, which as a result cannot
be questioned by the Parliamentarians under any circumstances.
“Without any political vengeance all the Parliamentarians would
make unitary decisions and activate them. Therefore we should chase
away the ‘Rajapaksa junta’ for the sake of the people
and establish a national parliament,” Wickremesinghe said.
“The ‘Rajapaksa company’ is continuing to enjoy the
power by using the war as an excuse to benefit themselves while
ignoring the suffocation of the masses owing to many issues including
the sky rocketing cost of living. The cost of living is further
hampered by the new taxes,” he said.
Convener Sri Lanka Freedom Party SLFP (M) former minister Mangala
Samaraweera speaking at the Jana Rala said that they had joined
hands with the opposition since Mahinda Rajapaksa had failed to
keep his 73 promises made to people, before the election.
“The president in the Mahinda Chinthana promised not to issue
alcohol permits but in 2005/2007 years, a large number of permits
were issued. The President is traveling with bookie owners like
Dammika Perera and Ravi Wijeratne,” Samaraweera charged.
He said that the government had allocated more than Rs. 2000 million
to maintain the world’s largest cabinet while only Rs. 900
million was allocated to the Samurdhi beneficiaries.
He proposed that there should be a by-election when a MP crossed
over. “In England when a MP changes his side there is a by-election
where the people are given the choice to decide whether the MP should
remain in his seat. I too crossed over and I think people should
have the choice to decide whether I should remain as a MP,”
he said. The coordinating secretary of the SLFP (M) Sripathy Sooriyaarachchi
said that for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka, the LTTE
had attacked other parts of the country like Galle Fort, Hikkaduwa,
Thalgasmankanda and Ranminithenne, all incidents which have occurred
during the Rajapaksa era.
“Our ‘modern Dutugemunu’ did not wish to capture
Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi. These are the areas where the most dangerous
weapons, ammunitions are hidden. Leading LTTE cadres are also hiding
in these areas. This is because the President loves Prabhakaran,”
he charged.
Sooriyaarachchi also lashed out at the UNP dissident MPs claiming
that ever since G. L. Peiris and Milinda Moragoda had joined the
government they had travelled abroad on numerous occasions. According
to Sooriyaarachchi, minister of Export Development and International
Trade G.L. Peiris has made 28 foreign visits while Tourism Minister
Milinda Moragoda has flown abroad 22 times.
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