Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday challenged the government to hold the Local Government election soon.
He said the Joint Opposition (JO) accepted the challenge of bringing the ever largest crowd to a May Day rally in Galle Face . “Now we challenge the government to hold the Local Government Election soon”, he said
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| Former President waving to the crowd at the May Day rally held at the Galle Face Green. Pictures by Wimal Karunathilaka |
The Former President said the people are suffering because of the Central Bank bond scam and the loans obtained by the present government.. “The people are not suffering because of the loans obtained during my government. They are suffering because of the Central Bank bond scam and many loans obtained by the incumbent government,” he said
Rajapaksa was speaking at the May Day rally of Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna at Galle Face yesterday. The former President arrived at the rally at around 5 p.m. yesterday. The rally started at Slave Island at 1 p.m. and proceeded to the Galle Face ground.
He said the present government has already planned to sell out country’s assets for a songs and privatisation of many government institutions such as the Sri Lanka Customs, Inland Revenue Department, State Banks, Ceylon Electricity Board, and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.
The Former President said his government deployed Security Forces to save the country from terrorists. “The Security Forces are being used by the incumbent government now to suppress the working masses,” he said.
He said the SLFP secured the power of all Provincial councils except the Northern Province and almost all Pradeshiya Sabhas.
“Our party enjoyed a 2 majority in Parliament too. But the party has lost its power under the present leadership,” he said
Rajapaksa requested the government not to betray the war heroes who saved the country from the shackles of terrorism and created an atmosphere where people of all communities could live in peace and harmony.
“The government can do whatever they want in this country because of the sacrifice done by the war heroes,” he said.
Parliamentarians Dinesh Gunawardena, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Dullus Alahapperuma, Kumara Welgama, Udaya Gammanpila, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, C. B Ratnayake, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Bandula Gunawardena, S. M. Chandrasena, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Wimal Weerawansa, Gamini Lokuge, Jayantha Samaraweera, Chamal Rajapaksa, Namal Rajapaksa, Roshan Ranasinghe, Dilum Amunugama, Lohan Ratwatte, and Prasanna Ranatunga were present. Former External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, Former Minister Tissa Vitharana, and Former Deputy Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharana were also present.
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| A section of the crowd |