Breaking News

If posts were exchanged clashes could have been avoided: Dayasiri

22 Dec 2011 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera today charged that the clashes at Sirikotha on Monday could have been avoided had the suggestion made by some members including himself to exchange the posts of party leader and leader of opposition between current party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Deputy Leader Karu Jaysuriya was accepted.

Mr. Jayasekera told a news conference that the decision to go for a vote instead of a consensus did the damage.

He charged that the election was far from free and fair as there were undue influences on the working committee members who were appointed during the day of the election itself.

The UNP MP said those who have been arrested and remanded in connection with the commotion at Sirikotha were actually those who tried to stop the violence.

While condemning the incident that took place on Monday, Mr. Jayasekera said two provincial council members who actually brought armed men inside the party head quarters are moving freely today. “They were moving freely manning the armed men on the day of the working committee meeting where the new office bearers were elected though only UNP MPs and the members of the working committee members were allowed inside,” he charged.

Mr. Jayasekera questioned as to why the police is so keen to carry out investigations on the incident without taking action to avoid the incidents on that day. He charged that police failed to maintain law and order that day as they did nothing to stop those who attacked Sirikotha. He charged that the police have changed their stance as they were arrested earlier arrested earlier for unlawful assembly but now they are changed under Public Property Act.

He also explained that no one should arouse communalism highlighting the stoning of Buddha statue at Sirikotha.

Mr. Jayaskera said he will continue the struggle to convert the UNP into a significant national force. Stating that the party’s Sinhala Buddhist vote base had eroded over the years, the UNP MP said it is essential for the party to rebuild this base to come back to power. He said the UPFA government was able to come to power by winning the nationalist forces and securing the Sinhala Buddhist vote base.

Mr. Jayasekera said this should be done no matter who leads the party. “We need to build up the party into a force that could attract the people at the grass root level even under Ranil Wickremesighe as the party leader. “The party should try to capture power without delay,” he said. (Yohan Perera)

Breaking News

If posts were exchanged clashes could have been avoided: Dayasiri

Most Popular Articles

2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule in Sri Lankan Standard Time

Breaking Down the Israel–Iran Conflict: What We Know So Far - Day 108

G.C.E. O/L examination results released online

’’Cut out the noise, focus on your game’’; Sri Lanka great reaches out to Sooryavanshi

Struggling Pizza Hut chain to be sold for $2.7bn

Heavy rain expected as El Niño conditions set to develop globally after February: Officials

Latest News

TPA raises land rights, resettlement issues with Australian High Commissioner

G.C.E. O/L examination results released online

Fire destroys processed tea stock at Elpitiya tea factory

Italy cancels US visit after Trump says Meloni ‘Begged’ him for photo

Delayed peace deal weighs on CSE as profit-taking pulls indices lower