JVP gets cheering Govt. without hearing

Government members loudly cheered JVP MP Piyasiri Wijenaike in Parliament as he continuously criticised the Budget presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The reason for this unusual support for someone speaking against their own Budget was because what Mr. Wijenaike was saying was not audible amidst the loud protests being conducted by Tamil legislators inside the Chambers at the same time.

Mr. Wijenaike said this Budget had hoodwinked the working class and failed to provide any relief to bring down the cost of living.
“This Budget was read out like a poem and that is what it is. If the Government really wants to bridge the budget deficit, it must put an end to waste and corruption,” he said.

Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva admitted the mistake later when he was speaking. “I was cheering the ‘sahodaraya’ and only later did I realise that he was criticising us,” Dr. Silva said.