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SJB abandons Basil no-confidence motion plan

15 Mar 2022

 
  • Says not just one Rajapaksa but entire Govt. has failed 
  • Claims intimidation underway to prevent turnout at today’s Colombo protest
  Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Opposition Parliamentarians said yesterday (14) while addressing a media briefing that a no-confidence motion (NCM) will not be brought against Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa as the SJB believes that the entire Government has failed, “not just one Rajapaksa”.  “We do not care whether it is Basil Rajapaksa or whether it is another Rajapaksa. No Rajapaksa can run this country. The entire Government has failed. We do not want to isolate Basil Rajapaksa and resolve the Government’s own problems, at least not through no-confidence motions. But, we need to drag them all out onto the streets.” They said that the SJB’s goal is to send the entire Government home. Over the weekend, SJB National Organiser and MP Tissa Attanayake said that the SJB is considering a no-confidence motion against Basil Rajapaksa due to the severe economic crisis, noting that his conduct is responsible for the downfall of the country’s economy which has led to a lack of confidence in the actions of the lawmakers. Criticisms against Basil Rajapaksa have been prominent in the past few months – both from the Opposition and some governing members. His absence during the debate stage of the 2022 Budget in December 2021 and his lack of a Parliamentary speech since 10 December 2021 despite the serious economic problems faced by the public have been some of the accusations levelled against him. Meanwhile, the SJB MPs briefed the media about the protest to be held by the SJB today (15) in Colombo and about some reported intimidation tactics to stop people from coming to Colombo for the protest. “We have heard that already they are checking the national identity cards of the commuters in the highway buses and that the Provincial Road Development Authority officers are checking buses. We will not be stopped. One family of rulers is not sensitive to the suffering of an entire country,” they said.


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