New Constitution drafted with hatred towards Rajapaksas: GL

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Chairman G.L. Peiris said today they had managed to obtain a draft copy of the new constitution which had been hatched in secrecy.

He said it had been drafted with hatred towards the Rajapaksas and contained provisions that threatened national security and interests.

Prof. Peiris told a news conference that the motive behind new Constitution was the hatred towards the Rajapaksas.

“This is not the way to draft a new Constitution by targeting a particular group of people. No Constitution drafted in that manner is going to stand the test of time,” he said and added that the draft had a provision for the abolition of the executive presidency and the post replaced by a ceremonial president.

Prof. Peiris said a person who had served as executive president for two terms was barred from occupying even the ceremonial presidency.

“It means Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot be even a ceremonial president,” he said and added that on the question of dual citizenship, anyone who had relinquished his foreign citizenship even 12 months previously was disqualified from contesting.

“Such a constitution is not going to serve national interests,” Prof. Peiris said and pointed out that the proposed constitution would pose a serious threat to national security. (Kelum Bandara)

Video by Sanjeewa