Thugs were brought to make protest violent: Gammanpila

The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) General Secretary MP Udaya Gammanpila, who took part in the protest which turned violent at Hambantota on Saturday, charged that government MPs had brought thugs from elsewhere to the location of their protest to make it violent.

The MP said United National Party (UNP) MPs Chandima Gamage and Nalin Bandara Jayamaha were behind this.

“These MPs brought thugs to Hambantota. Residents regardless of their political differences, united to chase the outsiders away. That is what happened,” MP Gammanpila told a news conference.

He said their protest was peaceful and the water attack was launched while Ven. Omare Kassapa Thera was chanting Karaniya Metta Sutta. “The Government wanted to prevent the monks from issuing a Sangha Order,” he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)