(Puravesi Balaya co-convener Saman Ratnapriya addressing the media on 06th .)
President Maithripala Sirisena should make a clear statement on whether he has agreed to give nominations to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa from the UPFA since the people have not been formally informed of the decision, Puravesi Balaya co-convener Saman Ratnapriya said. President Sirisena will be going against the public mandate he received at the January 8 polls, if he gives nominations to former President Rajapaksa to contest the upcoming parliamentary election, he said.
Addressing the media at the Public Library Auditorium yesterday, Ratnapriya added that the very person who came forward to establish good governance by defeating Rajapaksa has agreed to work together in the future with the latter.
He said if the President decides to give nominations he will lose his credibility.
The promise given to the people were to govern the country under the policies of good governance. President Sirisena has to take a strong decision on Rajapaksa’s eligibility to contest. President Sirisena is going against the wishes of the very people who voted for him, he added.
Puravesi Balaya co-convener Gamini Viyangoda said that the move to allow Rajapaksa to contest the parliamentary elections on the UPFA ticket was the result of a behind-the-scenes dialogue during the past few days.
President Sirisena’s decision to give nominations to Rajapaksa has put people in distress. Mahinda Rajapaksa trying to enter politics through a different channel is unacceptable, he added.
President Sirisena is expressing contrary opinions where he has failed to respond to the promises given to the people. He stated at Matara that he has 47 years of experience as a politician.
The people do not question his experience. He has to assure that an anti-Rajpaksa political campaign is carried out – the very reason why people voted for him at the presidential election, Viyangoda said.
Giving importance to the people’s mandate, President Sirisena should make a clear statement to the people, said Puravesi Balaya co-convener K.W Janranjana.
The President’s move is a disappointment to the people and all the other political parties who supported him during the election.The country saw horrendous human rights violations under the former regime. There was a collapse of law and order. Journalists were harassed.The people rejected the former president for these reasons, he added. He said that Puravesi Balaya is confident that the people would deliver a suitable reply to the former President at the forthcoming polls. They urged the people to reject politicians with questionable backgrounds at the upcoming polls.
Nushka Nafeel
CDN