Govt. formed by Ranil-Rajapaksa camp not an all-party arrangement – JVP

…challenges Prez to bring down fugitive Mahendran

Declaring that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his maiden policy statement delivered in Parliament yesterday, hadn’t said anything new or offered any hope for the country, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that an administration formed by Ranil-Rajapaksa camp couldn’t be considered an All-Party Government under any circumstances.

Addressing the media after the conclusion of the day’s proceedings in parliament, Dissanayake alleged that President Wickremesinghe repeated what the previous leaders said. The JVPer ruled out the possibility of his party accepting President Wickremesinghe’s invitation for talks on an all-party-arrangement.

The JVPer questioned the rationale in the new President’s lament over the developing crisis as he represented the parliament for 43 years and on six occasions served as the Prime Minister.

MP Dissanayake pointed out that the President sought the backing of other political parties for an all-party government without indicating the duration of the proposed arrangement. The MP said that such a government couldn’t be formed for the UNP leader to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapakse’s mandate.

The JVPer claimed that President Wickremesinghe was making a despicable attempt to divide the protest movement by categorising them as peaceful protesters and terrorists. The Colombo district lawmaker accused the President of hunting down those who spearheaded the protest movement. The JVP leader censured the President for unleashing the police and security services on those who entered the President’s House and other public properties.

Referring to President Wickremesinghe’s declaration that tangible action would be taken against corruption, MP Dissanayake said that the UNP leader could prove his sincerity by bringing down disgraced Central Bank Governor Singaporean Arjuna Mahendran living in Singapore wanted in connection with Treasury bond scams perpetrated in 2015 and 2016.

MP Dissanayake also questioned the re-appointment of Nimal Siripala de Silva as ports, shipping and aviation minister consequent to an inquiry conducted by a three-member committee. The JVP chief said that the appointment of the committee was meant to suppress extremely serious bribery allegations directed at the lawmaker and facilitate his return to parliament.

(SF)