MR creates ethnic rifts, prejudice: UNP

15 June 2015 02:45 am

The United National Party (UNP) said yesterday that it was highly regretted to see former President Mahinda Rajapaksa trying to create rifts, prejudice, hatred and animosity among different ethnic groups in the country.

Issuing a statement, UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim said Mr. Rajapaksa fantasised on becoming the next Prime Minister, by having media stunts at temples. He charged that Mr. Rajapaksa was hurling baseless abuses at the government of President Maihtripala Sirisena, being unable to counter the allegations made against him.

Mr. Hashim, in his statement, said the former President crowed over the possible resurgence of the LTTE as a gimmick to cover up various forms of allegations levelled against him.

"At the Matara rally, the former President, in his message, has mentioned that the LTTE is raising its head again. Certain laymen, frequenting temples with buckets of flower in their hands, do not even follow the five precepts. These so called patriots even compromise the interests of the country for petty political gains. I do not know to what category the former President belongs," he said.

He asked the former President to refrain from spreading such falsehoods. He asserted that no military camp had been removed.

"The former President has failed to respond convincingly to the allegations about the construction of provincial presidential palaces. He has failed to reason out the spending of Rs. 28 billion for unnecessary activities out of Rs. 55 billion allocated for road development. We are yet to uncover information related to the vehicles used by him and his family. Expenses have been made from the state coffers to look after the pet dogs kept by him at Temple Trees," Mr. Hashim said.