RW occupying TT in contravention of Interim Order: SLPP

• Claims Interim Order by Court of Appeal prevents rollout of relief measures to masses

By Nuwan Senarathna 

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday charged the United National Party (UNP) and its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe could be held in Contempt of Court for occupying Temple Trees even after the Interim Order issued by the Court of Appeal, which said there is no Prime Minister or Cabinet.   

“We have to respect the Judiciary and the Interim Order issued by the Court of Appeal. Therefore, the UNP and Ranil Wickremesinghe are behaving contrary to the Interim Order by occupying Temple Trees,” MP Shehan Semasinghe told reporters at SLPP headquarters.

He said the SLPP, along with its member MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, had cancelled all meetings scheduled at the Prime Minister’s Office after 5 December since they felt it would be against the Interim Order. 

“The UNP members, who were calling for us to uphold the rule of law and respect the Judiciary, are the ones ignoring court orders now,” he claimed.

Semasinghe charged that MP Ranil Wickremesinghe had met with heads of diplomatic missions based in Colombo at Temple Trees on 6 December. “Ranil Wickremesinghe has been working with western governments, and he is behind all those conspiracies.”

According to Semasinghe, Temple Tress has become a central point for political conspiracies, which could cause greater damage to the country. 

However, he also said the SLPP would not take any legal action against MP Ranil Wickremesinghe for occupying Temple Trees. “We consider this as an act of a naughty child who will eventually understand his mistakes,” he added. Speaking to reporters, MP D. V. Chanaka claimed the Interim Order issued by the Court of Appeal restraining MP Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as Prime Minister had also tied their hands from providing relief to the public. 

“MP Sajith Premadasa had charged money for houses which were supposed to be given free of charge. He had just wanted to promote his name.”

Chanaka claimed MP Sajith Premadasa had spent Rs. 30 million of the National Housing Development Authority’s funds for promoting housing projects conducted by the coalition Government before 26 October. “MP Sajith Premadasa had spent more than Rs. 1 billion for advertising about housing projects conducted by that Government,” he claimed.

Chanaka went on to say that SLPP would reveal all details of transactions made by MP Sajith Premadasa for similar projects in the future.