Activists declare Tuesday as National Protest Day

• Move including hartal aimed at pressuring RW to quit without seeking permanent Presidency 

GotaGoGama activists and trade unions have declared tomorrow as National Protest Day to exert pressure on Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down.

Aragalaya activist Wasantha Mudalige and trade union leader Joseph Stalin along with others announced the countrywide protest and hartal if Wickremesinghe does not quit. They argued that the people’s revolution was to oust Rajapaksas and those who helped them to stay in power or protected them despite warnings issued over three months ago.

The warning comes ahead of nominations for a full-time President to serve the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term which is tomorrow, followed by a vote by MPs on Wednesday. Wickremesinghe has not yet formally announced his candidacy but Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna General Secretary and MP Sagara Kariyawasam last Friday announced the party’s support to the Acting President.

“Rather than forming an all-party caretaker interim Government, the Members of Parliament are back to playing their usual deal game. We succeeded in the biggest battle of ousting the king (President) and kicking out the doorman is much easier,” activists emphasised.