President’s decision to remove former PM unconstitutional: Bathiudeen

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) said that they are committed stakeholders of Sri Lanka’s democracy, and were not striving to promote sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as an individual.

“We do not have any personal liking for Ranil Wickremesinghe. There is no ‘relationships’ between ACMC and the UNP either. The ACMC stands with UNP chiefly to safeguard democracy and to uphold our constitution that has been violated repeatedly-and we join the UNP’S call against this violation” said the Leader of ACMC Rishad Bathiudeen.

“Some media have been wrongly reporting that the ACMC is colluding with the UNP due to our call to re-appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM. We call for Wickremesinghe’s return as PM not because of any personal reasons nor due to any ‘relationship’ between ACMC and the UNP but because his removal is a clear violation of the constitution. All Sri Lankans are bound to act according to the Constitution and no one can violate it. The removal of Wickremesinghe MP from the post of PM is a clear violation of the Constitution and this is where we say it is wrong. President’s sacking of the previous Cabinet too was illegal. The President has also said that even if all 225 MPS say they want the deposed PM back, he would not allow it. This statement too was in violation of the constitution. We oppose all these anti-constitutional acts and statements by President of the country” added Bathiudeen.

ACMC Leader Bathiudeen was addressing the press immediately after returning from the Police HQ, having given a statement to the CID on the alleged plot to assassinate him which was reported by the media recently. A taped conversation between Director of the ‘Dooshana Virodhi Balakaya’ Namal Kumara, and a resident in France Thushara Peiris, that was aired many times by several media outlets, spoke of an alleged attempt to assassinate Rishad Bathiudeen during a ceremony in Batticaloa. Also accusations have been made saying that the French resident Thushara Peiris had provided funding/financing to Director of ‘Dooshana Virodhi Balakaya’ Namal Kumara to commit this crime and place the blame on the Tamil Community. Thereafter the then Minister of Law and Order Mr Ranjith Maddumabandara, at a Press Conference, had stated that a wide-ranging investigation would be carried out in this regard. As a result ACMC MPS lodged a complaint with Colombo Police HQ on October 23 on the alleged plot against their leader Bathiudeen. The ACMC Leader was thereafter summoned by the CID to give a statement to the CID.

“We are against the illegal appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister. President Maithripala Sirisena has used a power he does not have as President, in making this appointment,” the ACMC Leader added.

Speaking of the assassination plot, ACMC Leader Bathiudeen said: “It started as an assassination plot on President Sirisena, but later developed to involve my name too. I have no idea why anyone wants to assassinate me. But my entire security detail has been withdrawn-both the MSD and STF security details. At a time when this plot was revealed and I am under threat, my security has been withdrawn. Therefore today I informed the CID that I am a Party Leader, the only minister in the former Cabinet from the Northern Province and a Vanni District MP.

It is in such a background that my security was withdrawn. The entire responsibility of withdrawing my security falls on President Maithripala Sirisena, since he is also the Defence Minister –and he is answerable should anything befall on me. I also informed the CID to fully investigate the allegations made by Namal Kumara and I have complete confidence that this would be done,” he said.

We are against the illegal appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister. President Maithripala Sirisena has used a power he does not have as President