Two separate ceremonies to mark SLFP Founder’s Birth Anniversary

Two separate ceremonies to mark the 124th birth anniversary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Founder and former Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was held   in Colombo yesterday. The event at the SLFP headquarters was presided over by SLFP Chairman and former President Maithripala Sirisena and was attended by SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara and other SLFP members.

Addressing the occasion, former President Sirisena stated that the demands of youths who attended “Aragalaya” closely followed the Bandaranaike ideology. “With or without their knowledge, that is the system change they demanded. The socio-economic and political transformation they wished for is reflected in the Bandaranaike ideology,” he commented.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Sunethra Bandaranaike paying floral tributes at the Bandaranaike Statue in Galle Face Green. Picture by Shan Rupassara

The former President said that the internal rifts of the Government during his Presidency were caused by a clash between his political ideology, which resonated with that of Bandaranaike’s, and the right-wing political ideology. “It was a clash of policies. Other than that, I have no personal dispute with President Ranil Wickremesinghe,” he added.

A group of SLFP dissidents led by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga held another commemorative event near the statue of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike at Galle Face Green. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva and Mahinda Amaraweera, MPs Duminda Dissanayake, Chandima Weerakkody, Jagath Pushpakumara, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Prof G L Peiris attended this event. Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya (New Lanka Freedom Party) Leader Kumara Welgama, former Parliamentarian Jeevan Kumaratunga and Sunethra Bandaranaike were also among the guests. All of them paid floral tributes to the Bandaranaike statue.

Responding to the media queries after the event, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike said that those who do not do wrong earn the people’s admiration all the time. “Others will have to deal with the people’s anger at this very ground,” she added. Observing that the people are going through a very difficult time, she said that her group is keener towards providing meals to underprivileged children, than engaging in politics at this moment.

Responding to a question by a media personnel, she challenged former President Maithripala Sirisena to spell out the Bandaranaike principles, which his group claims to possess.

 

by Daily News Sri Lanka

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