UPFA accuses UNP of not wanting 20A implemented

Tuesday, 9 June 2015 01:13 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Jayashika Padmasiri

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) yesterday claimed that certain political parties, including the United National Party (UNP), did not want the 20th Amendment to be implemented for political reasons.

Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva told the media that the UNP did not really want 20A to be implemented even though they pretended to.

02-3 “We demand that the UNP make their stance on the 20A public. We want the 20A to be brought into Parliament this week after finding out the Supreme Court’s stance, and we hope to pass it in Parliament in the same manner the 19th Amendment was passed,” he said.

Commenting on the no-confidence motions the Opposition has brought against the Government, Silva said that the no-confidence motion against Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake will be taken up for discussion in Parliament before the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Meanwhile, UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha, who was also present at the media conference, denied accusations made by the UNP regarding the no-confidence motions and gave assurances that the no-confidence motions possessed no forged signatures nor had any MPs withdrawn their signatures as the Government had claimed.

“Ranil became the Prime Minister of this country twice with the help of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). He cannot win without the assistance of the SLFP; that is the truth. During the past few days the UNP acted in a very negative way towards the 20th Amendment. However, it is the responsibility of the UNP to show their support for 20A,” Premajayantha said.

The two UPFA stalwarts also stressed that there was unity within the party and said that they would form a UPFA Government following the general elections and asserted that a national government would not be formed as this was not the wish of the majority of those within the UPFA.

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UPFA minority parties say Mangala should be arrested

A few minority parties of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) yesterday said that Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera should be arrested for violating the Sri Lankan penal code by supporting homosexuality.

National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila, speaking yesterday at the Abayaramaya Temple, said that the Foreign Ministry had erred by voting against Russia’s proposal to remove benefits given by the UN to same sex couples on its staff. They said that supporting homosexuality was against the Sri Lankan penal code.

“Today the country’s foreign policy is supporting and promoting homosexuality and same-sex marriages. This is against the Sri Lankan penal code. Therefore Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera should be arrested immediately. The decision concerning Russia should have been made according to the country’s culture. However, we would like to know whether this decision was taken by the Parliamentary Select Committee or not?” Weerawansa asked.

Speaking about the no-confidence motion brought against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Weerawansa said that if the United National Party (UNP) was confident the motion could be defeated then the party should have no qualms about its immediately debate.

Weerawansa pointed out that if the Government was requesting a special date in Parliament to make decisions on the Constitutional Council it should also request for a day for the debate on the no-confidence motion against the Premier.

“We also urge the Speaker to allow for the debate over the no-confidence motion without any further delay. Continuing with parliament’s other affairs while ignoring the no-confidence motion is not appropriate. The Government has disregarded the faith the people placed in it. That is why the Government faces this motion today,” he said.