15 October 2019 05:15 pm
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera cast doubts whether any of the SLPP politicians of the area could prevail upon their supporters to stop hooting at the SLFP politicians when they address SLPP election propaganda rallies.
"Drunkards, hooligans and rowdies are hooting at SLFP politicians and it will not mean well for SLFP-SLPP unity, he said.
The MP said he would not believe that the SLPP higher-ups such as Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa or Basil Rajapaksa would endorse this ill-treatment by uneducated and irresponsible hooligans and they might not even be SLFP or SLPP supporters.
He told the media a Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa had promised to identify the miscreants and take action at party level.
When asked by a journalist how he would take it if he was hooted at, Kurunegala, the MP said his supporters would take care of those who dare to hoot at him.
Acting SLFP president Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa said hooting was a national custom in Sri Lanka.
“We hoot as a method of communication from ancient times. We hoot at someone to insult or ridicule him. We hoot in joy at musical shows and we hoot at singers and musicians to encourage them. Therefore, we must take hooting in its stride. However, it is not decent to hoot at politicians at political rallies. It simply abusive and will not augur well for the unity of the SLFP and the SLPP,” he said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)