UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene says that there is a serious doubt whether some ruling party politicians had actually attended school or what type of education some of them had during their schooling when considering the statements, the latter make with regard to ongoing trade union action by teachers and principals.

Speaking to UNP youth wing members during a meeting at the Sirikotha yesterday, Wijewardene said that some ruling party politicians were instigating people against striking teachers. “Some threaten to impale teachers on poles if they do not report to work on Thursday (21). Those politicians have got their thugs to threaten and intimidate teachers. Some ministers are speaking of getting the police to act against teachers. Teacher unionists complain that persons who identify themselves as intelligence officers visit their homes and threaten to drag them by force to the schools. Some MPs speak on TV asking people to hurl rotten eggs at teachers. We have a doubt whether these people had attended schools at least for a single day,” Wijewardene said.

He said that it was a fundamental right recognized by the Constitution of the country for anyone to exercise their trade union rights and as per the provisions of the Labour Code those engaged in trade union actions could not be punished. “This is the government that came to power stating that they had been voted in by the maha sangha, teachers, doctors, farmers and labourers. Now the very same government sees the striking teachers as a bunch of terrorists. The government in the face of a strike by teachers and principals has stooped down to the level of village thugs. We do not think that threats, intimidation and harassment would solve this problem. The government instead should sit down to talk to the teachers and address their genuine grievances,” Wijewardene said.

The UNP Deputy Leader said that the government was engaged in a campaign to destroy the country’s agro-economy and in the meantime destroying its education system.