‘MPs who are not supporting 20A are self-centred politicians’: Rajitha

By Waruni Paranagamage

Cabinet Spokesman and Minster of Health, Rajitha Senaratne, yesterday criticised parliamentarians who supported the 19th Amendment without supporting the 20th Amendment, labelling them self-centred politicians who were interested in trimming other people’s powers instead of their own.   

Addressing an SLFP rally held in Colombo to promote the implementation of the 20th Amendment, Senaratne pointed out that it was more important to get approval for 20A than 19A, as electoral reforms directly affected the working class.

Senaratne said that after the Bandaranaike era in 1956, the country had received a rare opportunity for electoral reform which could project the voice of the working class into Parliament through their true leaders.

 “Maithripala Sirisena created the second Bandaranaike era in Sri Lanka. During the Bandaranaike era people had true leaders to represent them in Parliament. It is essential to pass 20A in Parliament and implement it, to represent the voices of the ordinary people in society,” he said.