News
Covid-19 vaccination not compulsory says PM
by Norman Palihawadana
The Covishield AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19 will be given only to those who want the jab, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
“There’s no compulsion. Those who want to receive the jab under specific age factor guidelines can do so, while the others can opt out of it”, he noted.
The Prime Minister said a big consignment of Covid vaccines is expected to arrive in the country in due course.
He said that there was criticism earlier in some quarters over what they called “the government’s delay in procuring the jab”. However, it’s a different tune now with various stories being floated over administering the vaccine.
It is a few disgruntled elements who are flaying the inoculation campaign, while the wide majority of the people have confidence in the jab, the premier told The Sunday Island.
“There are some people who habitually criticize every move of the government. We cannot expect anything constructive from them”, he added.
It has been reported that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne has been found dead at his residence in Athurugiriya this morning (17)
it is suspected that he may have taken his own life.
A heated argument broke out between Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar during the Kilinochchi District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (16).
A video footage of the incident shows the MP and the Minister engaging in a heated verbal exchange, following which a physical confrontation appeared to develop when the Minister attempted to grab files reportedly in the possession of MP Ramanathan.
“If you lay a hand on me, I’ll lay a hand on you too… got it?” Ramanathan is heard telling the Minister during the exchange.
Police and officials present at the meeting intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation were not immediately clear.
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed an intervening petition before the Court of Appeal in connection with a petition filed by former head of the State Intelligence Service, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The Cardinal has sought permission from the court to make submissions in relation to Sallay’s petition and requested that it be dismissed.
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