By Shamindra Ferdinando

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and MP Wimal Weerawansa has attributed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s downfall to two imprudent decisions taken by Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Addressing Opposition activists at ‘Kamatha’ Hotel, the Chairman of Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya (ULS), lawmaker Weerawansa alleged that bringing in Namal Rajapaksa to Parliament, in 2010, and Basil Rajapaksa, in 2021, caused irreparable damage.

Nidahas Janatha Sandhanaya (NJS) Chairman Dullus Alahapperuma, MP,  its convener Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP, General Secretary Thilanga Sumathipala, Democratic Left Front (DLF) General Secretary Vasudeva Nanayakkara, MP,  executive member of NJS Dilan Perera, MP, executive member of ULS Weerasumana Weerasinghe, MP, and executive members of NJS,  Prof. Charitha Herath, Dr. Upul Galappathi, MP and Dr. Thilak Rajapaksha, MP.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sacked Weerawansa from the Cabinet-of-Ministers, in early March 2022, a few weeks before a high profile public protest campaign erupted against his government.

Pointing out that Mahinda Rajapaksa tinkered with the 20th Amendment to the Constitution to accommodate dual citizen Basil Rajapaksa, on the SLPP National List, the end result was nothing but annihilation of the Rajapaksas’ politics. The outspoken MP lambasted MP Namal Rajapaksa for his questionable behaviour. The NFF leader questioned the rationality in MP Namal Rajapaksa playing cricket with other SLPP MPs when the country was in deepening turmoil. Weerawansa called the Hambantota District MP a broiler chicken.

At the onset of his speech, Colombo District MP Weerawansa paid a glowing tribute to Dr. Galappaththi, and his team, for arranging a gathering of Hambantota activists, in spite of challenges. Declaring the rebel group’s intention to proceed with their endeavour, MP Weerawansa said that some asserted such a meeting couldn’t be held in the Rajapaksas’ stronghold.

The erstwhile JVP firebrand asked whether it was not a mockery of fate for Mahinda Rajapaksa to serve under President Ranil Wickremesinghe and for the UNP leader to work with the ‘Pohottuwa’ crowd.

The ex-Minister warned that Mahinda Rajapaksa probably would have to stomach the ignominy of Wickremesinghe ‘selling’ Mattala airport the way he leased out Hambantota Port, in 2017, for a period of 99-years.

Commenting on the election of the UNP leader, as the 8th executive President, to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term, lawmaker Weerawansa said that the ruling SLPP chose Wickremesinghe as it felt he was capable of suppressing the public challenge. Referring to the ‘Batalanda camp’, the former JVPer recalled the role played by the then UNP Minister Wickremesinghe in the ruthless counter-insurgency campaign.

MP Weerawansa attacked the economic policies of Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa combine with the focus on new tax formula, meant to get the maximum, conveniently safeguarding the interests of big companies. The firebrand politician asked whether the electorate overwhelmingly elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the last presidential election to see Wickremesinghe, who had been rejected at the 2020 general election, receive presidential powers.

The NFF leader said that the Rajapaksas pursued a strategy that undermined their relationship with others in the Cabinet and the government parliamentary group. A Cabinet paper, submitted by the then Power and Energy Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, meant to give the LNG project to a Pakistani-Chinese combine, was dismissed, the then Cabinet minister said. Instead, at the behest of all powerful Basil Rajapaksa, the tender was awarded to US-based New Fortress Energy, lawmaker Weerawansa said, explaining how they tried to protect the mandates received at the 2019 and 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. However, in the wake of the New Fortress deal, they couldn’t have remained in the government, therefore a decision was taken to move the Supreme Court against the Cabinet decision, he said.

MP Weerawansa alleged that the Rajapaksas simply ignored repeated warnings about the impending economic crisis. The crowd was told that such issues shouldn’t be raised with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, or discussed in the President’s presence.

The former minister lambasted Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera for switching sides for his personal benefit. An irate Weerawansa declared that Amaraweera was such a disreputable person he would even accept a Cabinet portfolio from Velupillai Prabhakaran.

The Rajapaksas had no sense in recognizing the growing public discontent, Weerawansa said.  Having earned the wrath of the public for having four Rajapaksas in the 2010-2015 Cabinet-of-Ministers, they increased the number to five, after the 2019 general election. In addition to five Cabinet Ministers, they appointed Shashendra Rajapaksa as a State Minister, who ruined agriculture by bringing in low quality fertiliser.

Weerawansa recalled how he thwarted the planned sale of the Valachchenai Paper Mill. Today, that facility was doing well and operations were expected to be expanded next year, the former minister said.