Govt. not worried if TNA wins NPC elections: Wimal

5 June 2013 04:37 pm - 13 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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If the Tamils in the North vote the TNA to victory in the scheduled September PC polls it would not be of much concern to the government, as the government had decided to remove police and land powers from the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said today.

Addressing a news briefing at the NFF office in Battaramulla, Minister Weerawansa commenting on the UPFA party leaders’ meeting on Tuesday night at Temple Trees said no one including the minority constituent parties protested to the move of the government to remove the police powers and the land powers vested with PCs.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa heeding the concern of certain constituent parties of the UPFA including the NFF said steps would be taken to remove police and land powers from the 13th Amendment but before that it would be referred to the Supreme Court for a ruling, Minister Weerawansa said.

“However, we continue to agitate for the repeal of the 13th Amendment in totality as the there is still room for destabilisation and arbitrary decisions by provinces if they wish. The merger threat among two or more provinces is still there. We also want to remove the legal provisions that require the national Parliament to obtain the consent of all PCs to pass an Act that clashed with the concurrent list,” Minister Weerawansa said.

Commenting on External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris’ explanation at the UPFA party leaders meeting that the 17th and 18th Amendments had removed the police powers from the provinces, Minister Weerawansa said the argument was controversial and the best thing to do was to strike off police powers and land powers from the 13th Amendment to prevent any threat to the national sovereignty and authority of the Centre.

Responding to a journalist on the alleged concern of India and the west about the weakening of the 13th Amendment, Minister Weerawansa stressed that the government must not worry about those concerns as those were there in the past and will be, in the present and the future.

“What is important is that we must do what our people want and what is good for the country. You must not forget that all these foreign forces supported the LTTE and attempted to stop the war against terrorism. Therefore, we must not listen to them,” he added.

Minister Weerawansa dismissed the claim by a certain section that Sri Lanka had agreed with India and that the 13th Amendment would not be amended and added that Sri Lanka had issued only statements, not agreements with India.(Sadun A. Jayasekara)

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Comments - 13

treehorse Thursday, 06 June 2013 12:00 AM

we know the outcome of the supreme court ruling. HE should just proceed why waste time and money via DM Android App

Nihal Amarasekera Thursday, 06 June 2013 03:40 AM

Only worthy statement in this whole news is "You must not forget that all these foreign forces supported the LTTE and attempted to stop the war against terrorism".

doratupala Thursday, 06 June 2013 03:57 AM

It seems to be that he has already accepted defeat?, Negative thinking ahead of a crucial election campaign.

Fayad Thursday, 06 June 2013 03:54 AM

Are you a minister in the government ? actors will come & go the ethnic issue will remain for ever

sayed Thursday, 06 June 2013 04:57 AM

I think from this act Tamils will get more upper hand from international this will prove how majority is treating them, result is going to be negative for the government think twice Why TNA is silent on this they are waiting until government implement this ..

Minister Thursday, 06 June 2013 07:11 AM

He is ready to put his hand into the tiger's mouth without fear and break its teeth and then handover it to TNA.. hahah.

Arjuna Ranawana Thursday, 06 June 2013 10:28 AM

if you are swallow, you will have to emit

Saskia Thursday, 06 June 2013 11:13 AM

I wonder why tamils are not allowed to have the rights to govern their people and land?

Rohan Thursday, 06 June 2013 03:55 PM

Becase Sinhalese and Muslims are also natives in the north and east just as Tamils living in the south, central and western provinces

fawzi Thursday, 06 June 2013 04:27 PM

If the election is free and fair, there is no chnaces that government will win. However MR will never allow a free election.

mail_guy Friday, 07 June 2013 04:12 AM

Rohan, You have a sense of humor. It makes me laugh.

C.SENEVERATNE Friday, 07 June 2013 06:29 AM

Defeat accepted before election.

musalman Thursday, 27 June 2013 06:07 AM

He was a champion of the common man irrespective of his cast,race or ethnicity when was in the JVP. Now that he has turned a neo booshuwa he has accepted the defeat. felldown but sand did not touch his mustach

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Govt. not worried if TNA wins NPC elections: Wimal

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