“People should question as to why those clamorers as to why they do not go before the Supreme Court instead of holding seminars, guest lectures and rallies on the issue,” Minister Weerawansa said addressing a ceremony held to mark the handing over of renovated Sanchiarachchiwatte housing scheme to the people at Maradana in Colombo 12 on Saturday. The housing scheme had been renovated at a cost of Rs 24 million.
Minister Weerawansa said: “Most of those in the Opposition got cold feet as there would be a presidential election soon. They shout that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is not eligible to contest for third time. If he contests, they say, it would be illegal. Now, what is their problem and why are they going place just shouting that the incumbent President is not eligible instead of going before the Supreme Court? What is the point of holding meetings in roadsides without going before the Supreme Court to sort out the matter once and for all? They are fully convinced that if President Rajapaksa contests, he would certainly win.”
“Had they been able to get former President Kumaratunga to contest in the next Presidential poll, they would not have come with that legal argument. Could they win an election, they would not harp into legal refrain but would contest. Their objective is to create a doubt in the mind of public and once the President wins the next election, they would get their paymasters in the Western Embassies to issue press statements doubting the victory,” the minister said.
Minister said that the Western Embassies too would issue statements not accepting the victory citing that people question the eligibility of the candidate contested for the third time. “Then the cronies of those Western forces could instigate disturbances here. They could get their supporters to the road destabilizing the country. There is no legal point behind their claim. The claim had been put forward as per the instructions of western forces.”
Minister Weeraansa said the anti nationalist forces were setting the ground to push the country towards anarchy which could be capitalized by the western forces to bring about a puppet leadership to this country. “Those who propagate the theory that ‘Mahinda cannot’ never say ‘Ranil cannot’ despite the fact that Ranil has lost election after election in the recent years.”
The Sanchiarachchiwatte Housing Scheme, comprising 244 housing units, had been renovated under the Nagamu Purawara project of the Sanasevana Housing Development Programme under the instructions of Minister Weerawansa in accordance with the Mahinda Chinthana Programme.
Colombo Municipal Councilor Mohamed Mussammil, Secretary to the Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities P.H.L. Wimalasiri Perera, Chairman of the Condominium Management Authority Attorney-at-Law Kapila Gamage, General Manager G.U. Upawansa, Colombo District Coordinating Secretary of the Minister Chanaka Sumith Kumara, regional politicians and officials were present on the occasion. (Special Reporter/HC)
