Dilan defends Wijedasa

Ousted Justice Minister found an unlikely defender in State Minister Dilan Perera yesterday who said that Wijedasa Rajapakshe should have been warned first before removal. 

“He should have been given a yellow card not given the red card immediately. But this is how the United National Party (UNP) chose to deal with it,” Perera told reporters speaking at a press conference yesterday. 

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Minister defended Minister Susil Premajayanatha, who has been noted for his criticism on some of the Government projects, saying that action to be taken against him is unlikely as the rules that govern his party are different from that of the UNP. 

“We will be working according to our party regulations. Even I have severely criticised the Government. That doesn’t mean that it is grounds for removal,” he said defending his SLFP colleague. 

Prerera also alleged that the real reason behind Rajapakshe’s removal was not for breaching Cabinet collective responsibility but for not interfering with the Attorney General’s department work. 

“It is interference in the AG’s department that should have been grounds for removal. The Minister was removed doing the right opposite,” he said.