‘Pivithuru Hetak’ rally warns MR regime ‘reform or perish’

Thursday, 13 November 2014 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Political parties and representatives who attended the ‘Pivithuru Hetak’ (The National Council for a Better Tomorrow) rally in Colombo yesterday warned the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government that they will unite to defeat the President and the Government if much needed constitutional amendments are not implemented.

Opposition political party representatives and the Jathika Hela Urumaya held a rally, ‘Pivithuru Hetak’ (The National Council for a Better Tomorrow), in Colombo yesterday where they warned that they would unite to defeat the President and the Government if much-needed constitutional amendments were not implemented - Pic by Shehan Gunasekara Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Parliamentarian the venerable Athuraliye Rathana said that more than 10 Government members are ready to join the Opposition if a presidential election is held before the Executive Presidency is abolished. He said that the rally held at the Muttiah Grounds was not to announce a common Opposition candidate but to show the strength and unity behind moves to demand urgent constitutional changes. However he said that today’s rally is a historic rally where society will be convinced of the need for a common Opposition candidate in the near future. The Venerable Athuraliye Rathana urged the Opposition, including the UNP and JVP, to work together in order to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the next Presidential elections if he goes ahead with the election without making constitutional changes. Among those who attended the rally today was UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera, who was widely speculated to have decided to join the Government. Senior members of the UNP, Democratic Party, MP Arjuna Ranathunga and the leader of the People’s Movement for a Just Society the Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero also took part in the rally. The Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has enough time to make the changes that need to be made before going for an election. However he said if the President fails to do so then all political parties and groups devoid of political differences will join hands to push for that change. JVP member K.D. Lalkantha, speaking at the rally, said that the time is near when the JHU will need to leave the Government instead of having one foot in the Government and another outside. He said the JVP backs the venerable Athuraliye Rathana’s call to implement the 19th Amendment to the Constitution before the next presidential elections. (Colombo Gazette)