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Saturday, 3 May 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
“The working masses have been able to celebrate May Day under one banner due to their commitment and dedication. We are reaping the benefits of the resilience and the commitment of the working masses,” the President said. The President was addressing the UPFA May Day rally at Campbell Park in Borella on 1 May.
“The Government will not bow down to any pressure and is not prepared to reverse the ongoing efforts to build the country under any circumstances,” the President stated.
“We will never bow down and no one can make us bow down,” he said.
President Rajapaksa said the presence of the massive crowd at the rally sends out a message that they will never allow any force to overthrow this government, though some elements boast that they will forcibly grab power.
He said the Opposition was working overnight to make use of the working masses in the north and south to implement what imperialist forces want to see happening in the country.
“The incidents at Rathupaswala, Katunayake and some other areas were aimed at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva,” he said and added that the people of the country will not dance to their tunes.
He stated that they (the opposition) started creating these problems when the UNHRC session in Geneva was going on and that these forces wanted to bring these incidents out onto the international stage. “Sometimes our working masses are misled by these forces as the workers are shown a gloomy picture by them,” he said.
The President said he pioneered the launch of a ‘Pada Yatra’ to the south against the barbarism and violence by the then government.
“Thousands of children and youth were killed those days. We took to the streets against these moves to save the lives of youths,” the President said.
He said that a handful of UNP parliamentarians are visiting the south to reverse the Government’s development drive, and that the UNP members visited the Mattala Airport and the Hambantota Harbour recently to close them down.
“The Secretary of that party had said that the Mattala Airport would be made a museum by them while the Hambantota Harbour would be turned into a swimming pool,” he said.
President Rajapaksa said the difference between his party and the UNP is that his is committed to uphold the rights of the people while the UNP is trying to destroy the achievements made by the country in the field of development. He said the UPFA Government has the best opposition in the country.
The President added that various political parties representing various communities are in the UPFA Government and they are committed to developing the country while protecting the ideologies and policies of such parties.
He recalled that the Government led by him has always solved the issues of Trade Unions through discussions.
“Our government stopped selling government assets, ensured the rights of the working masses and brought peace to the country while protecting all norms and practices of democracy,” the President said.
He said the Government led by him has never suppressed protests instead it has allowed people to stage protest and marches. “We have allowed others to criticise us too and even sling mud at us,” he said.
He added that the working masses of the country have been receiving relief at every budget since 2005.
“The Government increased the strength of the public service from 700,000 to 1.4 million,” the President said.
