Wijeyadasa writes to IGP over President's purported threat

Ruling government parliamentarian Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe yesterday afternoon handed over a formal letter to the IGP requesting for more security after he claimed to have been threatened by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over him being vocal against corruption within the government.

Rajapakshe told Daily Mirror that he had requested the IGP to act soon as he feared for the life of himself and his family following the tone and words used by the President in a telephone call he made to the MP yesterday morning.

Rajapakshe alleged that the words used by the President were not fit for a head of state and all this was because he had been vocal about the Port City Bill, some of the government’s programmes and against Basil Rajapaksa who he referred to as a ‘deal maker’.

Wijeyadasa said a copy of the Port City Bill was given to the ruling MPs just two days before and this would lead to a separate Chinese colony being set up within the Port City. He said as a government MP he could not tolerate such corruption or parts of the country being sold off.

Wijeyadasa said the President’s threats showed that MPS could not openly voice their opinions against corruption and while he now feared for his safety he would however continue to be in the government ranks and would not switch to the opposition.

Wijeyadasa’s comments are just one within a few made in recent months by some ruling government MPS who have spoken out against the Rajapaksa brothers.

Minister Wimal Weerawansa, recently claimed in an interview that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa must be appointed for the SLPP’S leadership, suggesting that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa be removed from the leadership.

The statement received much flak from within the government ranks but Weerawansa refused to apologize for his statement.

Then soon after, the Daily Mirror learns that a secret meeting was held at Weerawansa’s house which was attended by some MPS including Udaya Gammanpila and some SLFP representatives.

Then in December, SLFP General Secretary State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara had expressed disappointment with the government claiming that the government had failed to include SLFP members in its plans.(JAMILA HUSAIN)