Both the government and the opposition are defending Avant Garde says Minister Ramanayake

Minister Ramanayake says his piece on Avant Garde:

Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment and Social Welfare, Ranjan Ramanayake in a discussion with the  said that party democracy faded when it came to the Avant Garde issue. He alleged that the chairman of Avant Garde had bought over many people with money.

"At no point did I say ‘I saw’ or that ‘I know’ any of any [bank] account  numbers or any other information about the alleged transactions"

Q    Last week Minister Harin Fernando made a comment that he will take action against you if you actually had said that he was bought in an Avant Garde deal? Did you actually make such comments?

"There were many rumours about the issue even  before January this year. One was that the Rajapakse regime had sold  weapons to Boko Haram, Somalian pirates and Chechnyan guerrillas"

"I had a very bad impression of Avant Garde. I represent the common people and I am a common man. I do not have double doctorates nor am I a lawyer"

Q   The statements you made were based on mere discussions and rumours?