Govt. should work according to Constitution, no one can dictate to P’ment from outside: PM

• All books except one destroyed in arson attack 
• They are invaluable , meant to be donated to Peradeniya University, Royal College 
• Arson attack was triggered by false Twitter message that I refused to step down 

By Yohan Perera 

Government should work according to the constitution and no one can go beyond it or force Parliament to do things, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday. 

“ I will safeguard the constitution. No one can go beyond it, and no one can force Parliament to do things from outside. I am here to safeguard the constitution, one must listen to the people but should act in accordance with the constitution. Sri Lanka needs an all-party government. We have to work for it,” the Prime Minister said in a special statement.  

Also, he said a provocation that took place following a false message which ran on social media led to the arson attack on his private residence. 
“ I was at home in the afternoon following some meetings when the police advised me to leave my private residence as some of those who were returning from the protests were going to pass my home. I, therefore, left my residence with my wife. My residence was burnt, and I have lost the most valuable goods I had. These comprised books which were written in the Portuguese era and Dutch era in Sri Lanka. All these books except one has been burnt. Also, I have lost some valuable paintings done by the British soon after they occupied Sri Lanka, There was one painting of King Vimaladharmasuriya meeting a Dutch Ambassador. I and Maithree decided to donate the valuable books to Royal College, Peradeniya University and other institutions. There is a background to the attack,” Mr.Wickremesinghe said. 

“There was a party leaders’ meeting on the evening of July 9 where the unanimous decision of party leaders was that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and I should resign. My opinion was that I will resign once an all-party government is formed. However, a Twitter message which said I have refused to resign went on social media. This was said to have made by MP Rauff Hakeem, I inquired from him and he said he did not issue such a Twitter message. This message was given wide publicity by a private TV channel and by a few other media as well. I talked to the head of this private TV channel. However, the false report which said I have refused to resign was carried over and over again. Later it was reported that I should be dealt with. They even showed to roads on how one could approach my residence,” he added.  “Important documents in other key government institutions including President’s House and Presidential Secretariat have been destroyed,” he said. 

• My residence was burnt, and I have lost the most valuable goods I had. These comprised books which were written in the Portuguese era and Dutch era in Sri Lanka