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SLFP asks IGP to probe S.W.R.D. statue blindfolding

02 May 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has requested Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne to investigate the incident where a youth blindfolded the eyes of the statue of slain Prime Minister and SLFP Founder S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike at the Galle Face Green, during the “GotaGoHome” protest. In a letter to the IGP, SLFP General Secretary MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said that the SLFP condemned the blindfolding of the statue of Bandaranaike, who is also the SLFP Founder. Claiming that an article titled “Why should Colombo protesters overthrow the Bandaranaike statue?” published in a particular website had motivated the said move, Jayasekara had brought the article in question to the IGP's attention.  “It is clear that the incident of an individual standing on the statue and blindfolding it was based on an article published in the particular website on 22 April. This raises the question of whether the separatists representing the said website are subtly using the people’s struggle currently being waged at the Galle Face Green for their agendas,” the letter read. The letter further stated that the situation regarding the above incident is also relevant to national security. Therefore, he had requested the IGP to conduct an investigation into the incident and take necessary steps to ensure the safety of the statue. When inquired about the incident, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon told The Morning that if there had been any damage caused to the statue due to the incident, there is a possibility of taking legal action. However, he said that he has not received any complaint in this regard so far. The statue of the slain Premier Bandaranaike, who introduced the Sinhala Only Act in 1956, thereby making Sinhala the official language, was blindfolded by the protesters at the “GotaGoGama” protest site on 29 April.


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