- SJB alleges Govt. attempt to ‘sabotage’ rally location
Ahead of one of the most crucial Presidential Elections in the country’s political history, all major political parties, including the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the United National Party (UNP) of the Government, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) also of the Parliamentary Opposition, are all set to celebrate the International Labour Day/May Day today (1 May).
The ruling SLPP will hold its May Day rally at the Campbell Park Grounds in Borella, while the SJB’s rally will take place at Lower Chatham Street in Gunasinghepura in Colombo. According to the SLPP May Day rally organisers, it will not hold a workers' march, unlike in previous years. Speaking to the media yesterday (30 April), the SJB General Secretary and Opposition Parliamentarian Ranjith Maddumabandara claimed that its May Day rally is to be held amidst various obstacles and the Government’s attempts to sabotage its rally.
He said that the SJB is expecting more than a 100,000 supporters to be gathered for the rally. He also claimed that while the Government did not give permission for them to hold the rally in front of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Town Hall building, where the SJB rally was to be held initially, the NPP has now been permitted to hold their rally there. Maddumabandara claimed that it was a good example of the link between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the NPP. He said that the CMC did not give them permission even when the Police Department had recommended them to grant permission.
Meanwhile, the UNP is to hold its rally at the P.D. Sirisena Grounds in Maligawatte, Maradana, without holding a march. President Wickremesinghe is to attend the rally as the Leader of the Party and the rally will be followed by a musical show. UNP Chairperson and Government MP Wajira Abeywardena said that they are expecting around 100,000 supporters at the rally. Its General Secretary, Palitha Rangebandara, said that the people will attend its May Day rally to express their gratitude towards the President, who strengthened the country’s economy.
The JVP-led NPP will hold a procession starting at 2 p.m. from the Burgher Recreation Club Grounds in Colombo and ending at Kannangara Mawatha, where the public rally will be held from 3 p.m. In parallel to Colombo’s rally, the NPP has organised several other rallies in areas such as Anuradhapura, Matara, and Jaffna.
According to the Police, special traffic plans will be implemented in view of the public rallies and processions to be held in Colombo, Gampaha, Anuradhapura, Matara, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy.