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Wednesday, 12 September 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Skandha Gunasekara
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday blamed the leaders of the Joint Opposition and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna for allowing the Janabalaya protestors to disgrace the party headquarters while marching past it.
SLFP General Secretary Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa, addressing a media briefing yesterday, accused the leaders who organised the Janabalaya Kolombata protest - who themselves are from the SLF, of allowing protesters to hoot and shout at the party headquarters during the procession.
“It is extremely disappointing the way the Janabalaya Kolombata protesters behaved. I was at the SLFP headquarters at the time and saw the protestors hooting and shouting obscenities at the party headquarters. The leaders who organised the protest must bear the blame for this disgraceful behaviour,” he said, pointing out that the majority of those leaders were members of the SLFP.
When journalists questioned as to whether disciplinary action would be taken against members of the SLFP Group of 16 who took part in the protest, Prof. Piyadasa said that the Party Central Committee would decide.
“If there is an issue raised concerning the SLFPers in the Opposition and their participation in Opposition activities, the Party Central Committee will discuss the matter and decide on what disciplinary measures can be taken. However, no such issue has been raised thus far,” he said.
In addition, the General Secretary noted that the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, presented by the JVP in Parliament, would be discussed at the next Central Committee meeting.
“Currently, the members of the party, particularly the seniors, are studying the 20th Amendment. At the next Central Committee meeting we will deliberate on the 20th Amendment and what stance the party will be taking.”
The next SLFP Central Committee meeting has been scheduled for 19 September, Prof. Piyadasa revealed. He then said that the restructuring process of the party was steadily progressing and the party’s Annual Convention would be held in October.
Refuting claims made by the Joint Opposition, the Government yesterday stated that no foreign nationals had been settled in any part of Sri Lanka.
Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday rejected claims made by the Joint Opposition that 250 Indians had been settled in the north of the country.
“Let me clearly state that no Indian or any other foreign nationals have been settled in any part of the country. Any such reports are false,”
The Minister was referring to media reports citing Joint Opposition MP Wimal Weerawansa’s remarks that 250 Indian nationals were settled in the Jaffna District.
“MP Weerawansa is wrong. We have not settled any foreign nationals. Weerawansa needs to get his facts right.”
The Minister went on to say that only the resettlement of Sri Lankan nationals was being carried out.
