By Shamindra Ferdinando

Presidential hopeful Oshala Herath yesterday said that the continuing Bangladesh crisis and the externally-backed Aragalaya that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of office, in July 2022, couldn’t be compared under any circumstances.

Herath emphasised that various interested parties, and even ordinary people, compared the 2022 situation in Sri Lanka and the developing situation in Bangladesh without taking into consideration relevant facts.

In a brief interview with The Island, Herath pointed out that ousted Premier Sheikh Hasina’s understanding of the situation and her disastrous reaction could be compared with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s efforts to consolidate his power, with the SLPP’s backing, ahead of the Presidential Election.

Herath was among the four candidates, including Wickremesinghe, who paid cash deposits on July 26 to contest the Presidential Election, scheduled for Sept. 21. Herath represents the newly recognised Abhinawa Niwahal Peramuna (ANP).

Responding to another query, Herath said unlike Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Hasina fled the country after nearly 300 Bangladeshis died in violence.

The civil society activist asserted that the outcome of Aragalaya wouldn’t have any major impact on the forthcoming presidential poll. Political parties and alliances, too, realized that the electorate wouldn’t be unduly influenced by Aragalaya, Herath said, citing the entry of Namal Rajapaksa as the SLPP’s presidential candidate and Wickremesinghe’s total dependence on the divided SLPP, as glaring examples.

However, voters would be relatively cautious this time, Herath added, urging them to be mindful of major parties’ machinations meant to manipulate the electorate. “I want to stress two points. On one hand, the Rajapaksas had quite conveniently forgotten that Aragalaya had been directed at the entire SLPP, not just their President, whereas Wickremesinghe sought the support of the same lot to win the next presidential poll.

Asked whether he entered the presidential race in a bid to exploit his successful legal bid to oust State Minister Diana Gamage from Parliament this year, Herath insisted that it was not the case. Herath said that he moved court against new entrant Gamage of the SJB National List as he wanted to highlight the failure on the part of Parliament to deal with the foreign passport holder.

As a result of that case, the judiciary proved that a member of Parliament didn’t enjoy special privileges, Herath said.

Some people claimed that he exploited public attention received due to his legal battle with the then lawmaker Gamage to enter politics. “That is not true. I was one of the UNP candidates who contested the last parliamentary election. UNP leader Wickremesinghe was with me on their Colombo district list. The party polled just 14,000 votes in the entire district. Perhaps, I polled more preferences than the UNP leader,” the presidential aspirant said.

Commenting on the unprecedented use of social media platforms to promote candidature of various candidates at the forthcoming national election, Herath said that he would use that medium to the maximum. Referring to his spearheading role in Maithripala Sirisena’s social media campaign during 2014-2015 period, particularly the time as New Media Head, Herath said that old fashioned and wasteful propaganda campaigns must be stopped.

When The Island pointed out that he had absolutely no chance in attracting any significant number of votes for obvious reasons, Herath said he was determined to raise the real issues facing the people whatever the consequences.

Pointing out that none of the so-called main candidates made a genuine effort to address real issues, whether they were economic, political or social, Herath said that he was determined to help the public understand why the then government, in April 2022, declared Sri Lanka bankrupt.

Whoever won the next presidential race, the winner could utilize at least some of his proposals, Herath said, declaring his intention to unveil his manifesto soon after handing over nominations on August 15.

“During the last three weeks ahead of the September 21 election, his campaign will go on an all-out social media campaign,” Herath said.

Herath is among 18 candidates who have paid the stipulated deposit by Tuesday (06) to contest the national poll.

The outspoken political activist said that if the electorate failed to capitalize on ‘-Aragalaya and post-Aragalaya developments, the next national election, too, would be nothing but a tool to continue with the corrupt system we were practising since gaining independence from the British.