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MPs voted for Ranil for personal gain – SJB

Published

4 years ago

2022/07/23

By Akitha Perera

Most MPs had voted for Ranil Wickremesinghe for personal gain and to maintain their grip on power, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, said yesterday.

“Most of these people want the government to build them better houses from the taxpayer’s money. They also want bigger vehicles. And, most of all, they want to remain in Parliament and enjoy the perks as long as possible,” he said.

Madduma Bandara added that Wednesday’s vote to elect a President did not reflect the will of the people. The last general election had been held when Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the most popular politician in Sri Lanka, he said.

“People managed to chase away Gotabaya. But his corrupt yes-men still remain in Parliament. People are demanding their resignation, too, and the election of a group of new MPs. However, this has not happened. The same corrupt bunch was given the chance to elect a new President,” he said.

The SJB General Secretary said that if Dullas Alahapperuma had won the vote, the establishment of an all-party government would have been possible. The main opposition as well as a number of parties across racial and religious and class divides would have worked with Dullas, he said.

“We didn’t spend any money for the election, but the same can’t be said about all candidates. The election of Ranil shows that there is no democracy in the country and that the people’s will is not reflected in Parliament,” he said.

Madduma Bandara said they are closely monitoring the actions of the government. There have been allegations of corruption since Wickremesinghe became PM, he said.

“We were planning on limiting the Cabinet to 15 and to compose it with representation from all parties. On Friday evening we will see if this is an all-party government,” he said.

The SJB stalwart said that Ranil and those who brought him into power have no solutions to the problems faced by the country and that this is why the country needs an all party government.

“If there was any hope that Ranil would behave differently, that was shattered with what happened at Gota Go Gama on Friday morning. The government is trying to destroy democracy,” he said.

The attack on protestors would do a lot to undermine the Wickremesinghe administration, both locally and internationally, he said.

“Already most countries have expressed their displeasure on what happened. This has angered Sri Lankans, too. Maybe, he can scare the people for a few weeks, but this will blow up in his face,” Madduma Bandara warned.

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Ranawaka accuses govt. of using JVP cadres and police to suppress political opponents

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

… reminds AKD led over 560 protests during Yahapalanaya

Former Yahapalana Minister and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday (19) alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest.

Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively to curb political opposition. Ranawaka said this while addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road Office .

Commenting on the protest campaign launched by the Maha Sangha, demanding presidential pardon for General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagotaatte Gnanasara, the ex-Colombo District lawmaker alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake used a combination of police, investigative units and JVP cadres to break up the monks’ protest. The government went to the extent of compelling the JVP/NPP-run Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to deprive the peaceful protesters of basic toilet facilities, he alleged.

The government’s actions proved that only those with prior approval from JVP Pelawatte headquarters could launch protests in Colombo, its suburbs or in the provinces. The police have become a political tool in the hands of the JVP, the ex-Minister said. (SF)

News

Six killed as speeding bulker crashes into vehicles, shop in Akurana

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

By SK Samaranayake

Six people were killed and seven others injured when a speeding bulker lorry carrying cement and concrete ploughed into several vehicles and a shop on the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road at Kurugoda, Akurana, yesterday (19).

Four of the victims, two women and two men, died on the spot in the accident which occurred around 10.30 am, according to Alawathugoda Police.

Police said the bulker, travelling at high speed from the Matale direction, collided with three three-wheelers, two motorcycles and two lorries before veering off the road and crashing into a commercial establishment.

Five of the injured were rushed to the National Hospital of Kandy, where hospital sources said two remained in critical condition.

The bodies of the four victims were placed at the Akurana Hospital, where two others, who suffered minor injuries, were also receiving treatment.

The driver of the bulker was arrested by the Alawathugoda Police Traffic Division and is to be produced before court.

Investigations are being conducted under the supervision of Central Province Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake.

News

Prof. Peiris, summoned by CIABOC, appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

G.L. Peiris

By Shamindra Ferdinando

owledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (19) urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena.

Addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickrekmesinghe’s Flower Road Office, Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for lapse or technical fault of others at the Presidential Secretariat during President Sirisena’s tenure.

Prof. Peiris was flanked by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The fresh appeal was made on behalf of Ven. Gnanasara in the wake of President Dissanayake and JVP heavyweight Anura Kumara Dissanayake ruling out fresh presidential pardon for the monk. Minister Lal Kantha declared that the government couldn’t under any circumstances meet the continuing monks’ protest demanding Ven. Gnanasara’s release. President Dissanayake dismissed repeated appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release when he addressed the NPP really in Badulla.

Sirisena granted presidential pardon in May 2019 even before he completed a year of his six-year term of rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court during proceedings of the media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda’s 2010 January disappearance in the Homagama Magistrate’s court.

At the onset of the regular weekly briefing, Prof. Peiris said that he would report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (20) morning as requested by the commission. “The CIABOC wanted to record my statement regarding a meeting I chaired at the ministry after the conclusion of the war in 2009 pertaining to an ongoing investigation.”

Commenting further on the imprisonment of Ven. Gnanasara, the former parliamentarian said that President Sirisena intervened following a spate of requests made on behalf of BBS General Secretary by the Mahanayakes, Anunayakes and other Maha Sangha.

The Supreme Court on 10 September, 2026 rescinded the presidential pardon granted in late May 2019.