Opposition parties slam Premier for making false statements

Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne came under heavy criticism from the country’s opposition parties for making a false statement to the parliament that the defeated terrorist group LTTE was regrouping in India.

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) yesterday called for the resignation of the Prime Minister for misleading the parliament and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said the Premier should apologise to parliament and the people for making a false statement.

The Prime Minister during the Wednesday’s debate on extending Emergency Regulations for another month said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was trying to re-organise itself and were secretly operating three camps in Tamil Nadu.

UNP parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella told a press conference that the Premier should resign for making a false statement about the LTTE operating three training camps in Tamil Nadu.

He said that Jayaratne had misled parliament by making the comment and any parliamentarian who misleads the House should resign.

The JVP politburo issued a statement saying Jayaratne’s false statement to parliament has misled the public and has also brought disrepute to the country among the international community.

The party said that the government needed to give an explanation to the people about the statement made by the country’s Prime Minister.

“It is wrong to make a false statement with parliamentary immunity,” the politburo said.

India Thursday vehemently rejected Jayaratne’s claim of LTTE operating camps in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu’s Director-General of Police Letika Saran called the reports of LTTE camps “baseless and devoid of any reality.”

The JVP said India’s denial of the Prime Minister’s comment has brought disrepute to the country.

The Prime Minister has misconstrued information for his petty political gains, the JVP said.

The Prime Minister, who said the information was received through intelligence reports, later said it was taken from news reports. (Colombo Page)