Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga given a rousing welcome at the meeting yesterday. MP Kumara Welgama at the meeting.
The future of the country lies in the hands of Sri Lanka Freedom Party voters, who will have to take a crucial decision as to which candidate should be elected in the coming presidential election, former President and SLFP senior advisor Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday said.
“This will be an election that will make history. It will decide what will happen to our country at long term. I cannot give an assurance that one candidate is better than another. I once gave such an assurance and it went south. So this time, I won’t do so. However I have to point out to all of you that we have reached a perilous situation where our decision in this election becomes extremely important for the future of this country.We should not think about individuals, we have to study the policies when we take a decision.This will also be the last chance for all of us to make our country prosperous,” she told a packed Sugathdasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.
“If we don’t take an intelligent decision this time, our youth will not give us any more chances. Uprisings may break out in south, north and eastern regions. There is a saying that goes as youths with no hope, turns into guns and bombs.” Bandaranaike stated.
The former President also vowed to not let anyone destroy the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, which was created and protected by a long line of Bandaranaikes. She observed that there have been several attempts to destroy the SLFP, but all such attempts came to nothing. “The attempt to destroy the SLFP started in 2005. They cannot terminate the SLFP, and we shall not allow anyone to destroy the SLFP either. The SLFP is a people oriented political party. Our politicians did not rob this country and its people. We are a party that established democracy in this country. There were no murders that were carried out in the name of politics during our rule until 2005.” she added.
Kumaratunga also said that she has gone through the election manifestos of the two main presidential candidates of United National Front and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. She observed that UNF presidential candidate has presented considerably a dynamic election manifesto which would qualify the progressive socio-economic developments carried out by the present government. “This government has taken several progressive steps, especially in relation to health, education, government service, small and medium scale enterprise, irrigation and water supply. Unfortunately this government has failed to project all these development activities via media. The UNF candidate has promised a system where government policies shall be implemented via an all-party administrative council, which sounds quite promising. ”Kumaratunga added.
“I went through SLPP candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksha’s election manifesto. It is well written with attractive wording. However, when I reached the part where he promises to give freedom to people, it made me laugh. He cannot just say such things. What happened to Lasantha, Ekneligoda and Keith Noyahr? So, just promising things will not work. He will have to tell us how exactly he is going to assure the freedom of people. He also promises many things for people, but they had long years to fulfill all these things they promise. Their regime did not give any salary increments. They carried out the war with the weapons purchased under my office. ” Kumaratunga also said.
The former president made these observations yesterday evening participating in the event “Api Sri Lanka” organized by the SLFP at Sugathadasa stadium. Kalutara District SLFP MP Kumara Welgama, Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, Minister Mano Ganesan, SLFP former ministers and politicos participated in the event.
Kumaratunga held former President Mahinda Rajapaksa responsible of creating a corrupted political culture in the country.
“At the second Cabinet meeting held following his election in 2005, Rajapaksa said that he shall not snoop into ministers’ affairs and if they are to carry out activities that involve corruption, they would have to do it in a way that they won’t get caught. Now after some twenty years our politicians cannot survive without power and corruption,” Kumaratunga said.
Kumaratunga also denied the allegation that she is involved in politics driven by hatred. “If you look at how my security was removed, you will know who is actually driven by hatred. If you remember the way my, my father’s and my mother’s photographs at our headquarters were destroyed, you will realize who is driven by hatred. Now a man who has changed his political party some seven occasions is trying to take disciplinary action against me. It shall never happen.”
Kumaratunga also said the memorandum signed between the SLPP and a fraction of the SLFP is detrimental to the SLFP as a political party.
The central committee of the SLFP recommended of a presidential candidate from the SLFP, but it was disregarded, she also said.
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