Stop harassing businessmen: Opposition MP

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

Colombo, July 22 (Daily Mirror) - The Government has to stop harassing local businessmen, Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake said focusing on the arrest of House of Fashion owner whom he revealed has been sent behind bars for undervaluing his assets.

" There are only a handful of Sinhala Buddhist businessmen in this country and they should be safeguarded" the MP told Parliament.

" There is a disturbing trend of harassing businessmen who do not associate with the ruling party. If a businessman associates with either former President Mahinda Rajapaksa or Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa they are arrested and harassed. However, no such action is taken against businessmen who associate with the ruling party" he said.

" Third world countries such as Sri Lanka can never develop when businessmen and entrepreneurs are harassed " he added.

The MP said one cannot be successful if he or she behaves like the current US President Donald Trump who imposes high taxes on nations that oppose him.

Ruling party MP Chandima Hettiarachchi responded and said the Government had nothing to do with the arrest of House of Fashion chief as it is the law enforcement institutions that carried out the operation against him.