Shan: Traitors will be punished

SLFP’S May Day call:

The SLFP constitution was clear on actions to be taken against party members who violated party regulations, Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Vijayalal Silva said yesterday. “The SLFP Central Committee (CC) has already decided to take strict disciplinary action against those who would participate in the Joint Opposition’s May Day rally at Kirulapone and keep away from SLFP’S May Day rally in Galle on May 1,” he said.

Mr. Silva addressing the media at the Information Department said the party’s CC will spring into action on May 2nd and start proceedings against those who, what he called ‘betrayed the party’, by participating in the Joint Opposition May Day rally.

“The SLFP’S May Day rally is at the Public Ground of Galle near the Samanala Bridge. We have organised the biggest ever May Day rally in the recent history. A large number of SLFP supporters from the North-east have pledged their participation as the SLFP has shed its certain Sinhala - Buddhist Centered policies and become a political party, with pluralistic and inclusive policies.

“We have launched a new recruitment drive in the North-east and it has been a huge success,” Mr. Silva said

He added that the SLFP May Day rally this year would be an occasion that would display the strength of the party.

Chief Minister Silva said the SLFP under President Maithripala Sirisena, had begun a new mission with a new vision with all Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Malay and all other minorities and the party belonged to all Sri Lankans. Responding to a journalist, Mr. Silva said late UNP stalwarts like Gamini Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali were expelled from the party and subsequently lost Parliamentary membership when they rebelled against President R. Premadasa.

Commenting on the judgments given at later stages in favour of expelled MPS, he said they had been given on the question of natural justice and the procedure taken by the party’s General Secretaries was ultra-vires.

He said that the SLFP had the opportunity to ask for a fuller bench.

Mr. Silva responding to a journalist said the SLFP had no habit of inviting party members to the May Day rally.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa must not expect invitation to participate in the May Day rally, because he was a patron of the party.

“What unusually happens is to instruct party organisers to bring supporters to the rally. However, the party has sent Mr. Rajapaksa an invitation to ensure his participation. Mr. Rajapaksa had no right or the decency to say that he would avoid participation of the party May Day rally and join the rival rally,” he said.

Mr. Silva said all those who betrayed the SLFP in the past had rejoined the SLFP, joined the UNP or simply vanished from the political scene.

This would happen to all who were in the Joint Opposition now, he said