MR: FILL GALLE FACE ON MAY DAY

We must show them our strength

Former President and Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa called on the people to bring the Government to its knees by thronging in thousands to the Galle Face Green on the May Day where the Joint Opposition is scheduled to hold its May Day Rally.

Speaking at the gathering called “Jayanada commemoration” to felicitate Western Provincial Council member Gunasiri Jayanath on his completion of twenty years as a people’s representative on Saturday, Mr. Rajapaksa said that the Government had given the Galle Face Green to the Joint Opposition for the May Day rally presuming that the rally would be a ridiculous flop.

“But we must show them our strength,” he called on the people.

He charged that the only thing that the Government had done for the past two and a half years, was going round the country making vile allegations against his Government. Apart from this the Government had planned to sell out the country during the past two years, he said.

Comparing the present Government and his regime the former President stated that he had brought the war to an end within the first three years of his tenure and built highways and hospitals, introduced new subjects to the school curriculum and supplied electricity for 98 percent of the population.

“That was the difference between my Government and the Yahapalanaya Government. Had we also been intoxicated with hatred like these people, one could imagine where the country would have been now.”

Commenting on the last week’s Gazette notification issued by President Maithripala Sirisena declaring garbage disposal as an essential service, he said it was only water, electricity and health that had been declared as essential services so far whereas garbage had been declared as an essential service for the first time.

He also charged that the Government was acting in a highhanded manner ignoring even court rulings.

The former President accused that the Government was planning to bring in a law enabling the soldiers, who protected the country and the people to be hauled before courts on charges levelled even by foreigners.