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‘We’ll fight from within GoSL’

15 Feb 2021

  • Wimal, Udaya, Vasudeva not to leave 

  •  Dual citizens must not hold office: Udaya

  Cabinet Ministers Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, and Vasudeva Nanayakkara will continue to remain in the Government whilst fighting to ensure it stays true to the mandate provided to it by the people, The Morning learnt. “We promised that to the public. We have not forgotten our responsibilities and leaving the Government would be irresponsible. We do not foresee the creation of a new coalition by us,” said Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila speaking to The Morning yesterday (14).  When asked about the closed door meeting held at Wimal Weerawansa’s residence, he said it was nothing special. However, any talks among the political parties in the alliance is important and the next meeting will be held on 25 February, he said.  Last week, Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa made a statement to the print media suggesting the removal of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa from Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) leadership and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa be appointed in his place.  SLPP Secretary General MP Sagara Kariyawasam shot back saying that Weerawansa must immediately retract and apologise for his statement. Gammanpila also commented on Kariyawasam's statement saying: “I don’t see anything wrong with Wimal Weerawansa’s statement. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has also stated that it’s not wrong. Sagara Kariyawasam has a right to comment but we are offended by his comment. He was not even a member when Minister Weerawansa created this party. We see his political immaturity through these comments.”  Attempts to contact SLPP Secretary General MP Sagara Kariyawasam by The Morning proved futile.  Commenting on dual citizens holding office, Gammanpila said that his party Pivithuru Hela Urumaya has clearly explained the reasons to oppose dual citizenship in its proposals for a new Constitution. “President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised to introduce a clause which would not allow dual citizens to contest in Presidential or Parliamentary elections before November 2021. Clearly, this is not about Mr. Basil Rajapaksa,” he added. Gammanpila further noted that if Basil Rajapaksa wanted to come into politics, he could do so after renouncing his dual citizenship just as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa did. “But Mr. Basil Rajapaksa himself said that he has no intention to come into politics,” said Gammanpila.  Commenting further on why dual citizens should not be allowed in key positions in Sri Lanka, Gamanpila noted two reasons. “If a dual citizen holds a key position in Sri Lanka and commits any crime, they can easily escape to another country of residence. The second reason is the lack of trust the public has on a dual citizenship holder when it comes to agreement or diplomatic missions. For example, let’s say the Minister of Ports is a dual citizen and an Indian. If that person engages with an agreement like East Container Terminal (ECT), people would obviously say that the Minister is partial as he is an Indian and that he would be loyal to his other country instead of Sri Lanka,” said Gammanpila. According to Gammanpila, after the Central Bank bond scam, the Government failed to bring Arjuna Mahendran back to Sri Lanka or to commence legal proceedings against him for the past five years due to him holding dual citizenship. According to Gammanpila these are the only reasons they objected to dual citizens holding key positions, and have no personal grudges with Basil Rajapaksa.  


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