Colombo-based Kantha Saviya pledges support to Gotabaya

A long time Colombo-based UNP women’s group, Kantha Saviya, led by Ferouza Muzammil pledged its fullest support to the presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa at its convention held in the presence of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa at the Public Library auditorium in Colombo on Wednesday.

Kantha Saviya is a group comprising members from all faiths, dedicated to work for women’s welfare in the Colombo district.

Women gathered in thousands to show their solidarity towards Gotabaya Rajapaksa. A large group of ladies clad in maroon led by Ferouza Muzammil took to the stage to pledge their unstinted cooperation before Basil Rajapaksa for the success of Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the upcoming polls.A galaxy of political leaders including Western Province Governor A.J.M. Muzammil, Wijedasa Rajapaksa, Susil Premjayantha, Faiszer Mustapha, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and President’s Counsel Ali Sabry.

In his opening address, Western Province Governor A.J.M. Muzammil said that during his tenure of office as Colombo mayor, being a Muslim, representing United National Party (UNP), then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa joined hands with him to develop the Colombo city without showing any signs of racial or any political differences. Therefore, he insisted that Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a person of that calibre, should be made president of the country, for the greater good of the people who prefer to live in peace and security.

Responding to the women’s pledge, Basil Rajapaksa said Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be the ideal choice for the post of President of Sri Lanka since he is a person who can rule the country without any political or racial discrimination. He said that the Colombo women’s problems remained unsolved for several years under UNP rule, there are more than 1,500 shanty locations, where women live in pathetic conditions. 

“They are overburdened with loans and other environmental problems such as lack of potable water supply, sanitation, and ill-maintained drainage systems,” he said, promising that these loans will be relieved and other problems will be redressed in no time when Gotabaya comes to power. Sajith Premadasa has been the housing minister and he turned a blind eye to these problems, Rajapaksa said, lamenting that poor families continued to suffer from these environmental and social problems.  In an interview with newsmen, Ferouza Muzammil said that poor women in the city suffered a lot under the UNP regime and now they have come to a limit to say that ‘enough is enough’. “We have full confidence in Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is prepared to serve all the communities without any racial or gender discrimination, therefore, I request all women to support Gotabaya’s candidature,” she said.