Saturday, 20 December 2014 00:20
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UNP MP and National Youth Front President Ruwan Wijewardene said yesterday the upcoming presidential election would be a crucial one that changes the next decade and would be decisive particularly for the youth because they had been neglected by the present Government.
At the UNP press conference yesterday from left: Western Provincial councilor Hirunika Premachandra, Opposition Leader of the Uva Province Harin Fernando, MP Duminda Dissanayake and MP Ruwan Wijewardene – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara
“We have seen how the present Government treated the youth especially in Rathupaswala and Katunayake when they came forward to win their rights,” Wijewardene said.
He said the youth had not been benefited by the development of the country and challenged the president to show any factory established by the Government as he promised in the Mahinda Chinthanaya to establish two factories in each divisional secretariat.
“Even the factories set up during the Premadasa regime are at the risk of being closed down today,” he said.
Former Education Services Minister Duminda Dissanayake said President Rajapaksa had termed the election as a foreign conspiracy but it was he who was the conspirator because he was the one who announced the election.
“No one wanted this election but the President announced it due to his own need,” he said.
Dissanayake said the Government had accepted its defeat at the presidential election that it was using the voice of common candidate Maithripala Sirisena for the president’s election campaign.
He said the Government was providing people with various subsidiaries in the wake of the election and asked the people to get all those things and vote for the common candidate at the election.
Dissanayake also requested members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to join hands with the common opposition and vote for Maithripala Sirisena.
Western Provincial Councillor Hirunika Premachandra said the youth had realised more of the truth now than before because they were more exposed to politics with the popularity of social media such as Facebook and YouTube.
She said people had lost their respect for the president and had only fear for him now.