Some Govt. MPs slinging mud at Prez: Dayasiri

SLFP General Secretary and MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday there was a concerted effort to sling mud at President Maithripala Sirsena by a section of the government led by Minister Lakshman Kiriella.

He told the media last afternoon that members of the minister's staff had translated the letter which was posted in the Colombo Telegraph website castigating the President and mailed to 640 temples.

“The letter contains fabrications and lies. There was no source or quote from any reliable person or official. An inquiry has been initiated on this matter and two members of the minister's staff have been arrested on suspicion,” the MP said.

The letter states that President Sirisena was fully aware of the Easter Sunday attack and as the Minister of Defense and Law and Order he had failed miserably to take action to prevent the carnage that claimed nearly 260 lives and wounded some 500.

He rejected the allegations levelled against the President in the letter.

“The letter states DIG Nilantha Jayawardana had briefed the President on the impending threat but there was no evidence to prove this. Besides, if Mr. Jayawardana spoke directly to the President on this matter it is against protocol as he should not have any links to the President or the Prime Minister, because it must be through the IG,” the MP said.

He said the translation of the English version has been done by one Chaminda Wanigasekara serving in the personal staff of the minister while the two arrested were Sampath Kumara and W.M.P.G Bandara.

“The Law and Order Ministry has remained under UNP Ministers John Amaratunga, Tilak Marapana, Sagala Ratnayaka and Ranjith Maddumabandara since 2015. It is only barely five months since the President took over it. Then how can anyone say the President did not act to prevent the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks,” the MP asked.

He pointed out that the President as the Minister of Defense and Law and Order has done a great job and deployed the armed forces, STF, the CID and the Police in an extremely efficient and professional manner to apprehend hundreds of Muslim fundamentalist suspects, a large cache of arms, currency notes worth millions of rupees and explosives.

"The President has made drugs and narcotics Mudalalis his enemies through his fight against drugs and narcotics," the MP said.

Responding to a journalist, he said the President decided not to invite Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the National Security Council (NSC) meeting after learning that a popular English Daily has carried confidential matters discussed in the NSC. (Sandun A Jayasekera)