UNP MPs dismiss claims made by MR
UNP MP Ajith Perera yesterday denied claims made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa that the group of visiting UNP parliamentarians had ridiculed the development taking place in Hambantota as they left Port.
Denied claims ... that the UNP parliamentarians had ridiculed the development taking place in Hambantota as they left Port
The five parliamentarians Eran Wickramaratne, Ajith Mannapperuma, Ajith P.Perera, R. Yogarajan, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya expressed their views about the attack in Hambantota yesterday.
The parliamentarian said the President had expressed the view that the parliamentarians had angered the public by suggesting the Hambantota Port was a pool and the Mattala Airport was fit to be a museum.
“No UNP parliamentarian ever said that and we did not make such a comment either. We said the projects were being conducted in a fraudulent manner and that it would be conducted in a transparent manner under the UNP,” Perera
No UNP parliamentarian ever said that and we did not make such a comment either. We said the projects were being conducted in a fraudulent manner and that it would be conducted in a transparent manner under the UNP. If there is anything fraudulent revealed about the projects in the area we will not hesitate to inform the
people We cannot trust the police officers in Hambantota or those in the South for that matter. Those who were present did not think about our safety and we had to come to Colombo to file a complaint about what happened
said.
The group of parliamentarians said they were attacked because the government was afraid of the information they would reveal. “If there is anything fraudulent revealed about the projects in the area we will not hesitate to inform the people,” he said.
The MP went on to say that the group of parliamentarians was not afraid to make another trip to the area if the need arose. “We cannot trust the police officers in Hambantota or those in the South for that matter. Those who were present did not think about our safety and we had to come to Colombo to file a complaint about what happened,” Perera said.
Parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne said the development projects in Hambantota were a failure which did not offer any relief to the people there.
Wickramaratne said the group that attacked them could be those who were given contracts at the Mattala airport. “The government gave several contracts to several parties in Mattala and we suspect that it was they who attacked us,” he said.
MP R.Yogarajan said a group of people had asked the parliamentarians not to spread negative publicity about the development projects in the area during the visit. “We are not afraid, we will conduct investigations into the government’s fraudulent programmes and reveal it to the public,” he said.
Parliamentarian Ajith Mannapperuma charged police spokesman Ajith Rohana was just a puppet of the government. “The Port is a high security zone. How did they bring a pistol in when it is a high security zone?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya said the visit was official and the necessary authorities had been informed of their arrival. “We have informed the Speaker and Acting IGP of the situation. We will take legal action in the future to ensure such a situation does not arise,” he said.