Govt. setting up scene for yet another ‘Aragalaya’ charges Marikkar 

• Says Govt. continues to be oblivious to factors that gave rise to people’s struggle 
• Claims if Govt. had listened to people and developed country as expected an Aragalaya would not have taken place 
• Accuses Govt. of not learning a lesson and attempting to take loan after loan in a bid to rebuild the country

SJB MP S.M Marikkar

The Government is setting up the scene for yet another ‘Aragalaya’ to take place in the country, opposition parliamentarian S.M Marikkar warned in parliament on Tuesday. 

The MP representing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya said while he does not condone violence, it has to be noted that the Government still appears to be oblivious to the reasons that gave rise to the ‘Aragalaya’. “The MPs are instead making pompous speeches while being shielded by Ranil Wickremesinghe. They are setting up the scene for yet another Aragalay to take place,” he said. 

The MP noted that a citizen’s struggle only took place because the country’s rulers engaged in stealing public monies, inciting racism and eventually bankrupting the country. 

“They brought in a hero who turned out to be a mere scarecrow,” he said, adding that inflation caused by excessive printing of currency and the refusal to approach the IMF while giving tax breaks to cronies were key factors that gave rise to the citizen’s struggle. 

According to Marikkar, the violation of public trust and continued theft of public monies since the country gained its independence in 1948 led to the making of the struggle. “It did not take place due to events which took place in just a matter of days,” he noted. The MP said the public is well aware that public monies were stolen from every development project implemented in the country.  He said that while Mahinda Rajapaksa was re-elected as President in 2010 as a token of gratitude for ending the long-drawn conflict, instead of acting as a guardian of the country he took ownership of it. “Money was stolen according to the whims and fancies of the Rajapaksas leading to bankruptcy,” he alleged. The MP said the Government however has now forgotten this chain of events. 

“If they had listened to the people and developed the country as expected the Aragalaya would not have taken place,” he said. The MP said however the Government is now attempting to use the Police, Army and various new laws to suppress the people. He also pointed out that the Government is hoping to resolve the country’s problems by taking more loans over the existing ones. “They simply have not learnt a lesson,” he noted.