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Two UNP MPs say ready to face party inquiry
View(s):Two UNP members who were accused of violating party directives by attending a rally organised by the Eksath Bhikku Peramuna said yesterday they would appear before the Working Committee on Tuesday.
“I am a free citizen of this country and have been elected by the people to serve the people. This rally was held to oppose the current regime and help the common man,” said Puttalm District Parliamentarian Palitha Ranga Bandara, one of those who defied the party’s ban on attending the meeting.
He is among the five party members — three MPs and two provincial councillors —who have been sent letters by UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake asking them to show-cause why they defied the party’s order.
Defending his decision to attend the rally, Mr. Range Bandara said he believed that what he did was for the betterment of the people. “What better way is there to topple this corrupt regime than to form a strong opposition?” he asked.
He said he had prepared an explanation and he would submit it to the party’s working committee.
Mr. Range Bandara also said the UNP was a weak political party from which members continued to leave while it attracts no new members.
Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Ashoka Abeysinghe who also attended the rally said he had not violated any law and was not afraid of the consequences of his actions as he believed he had not done any wrongdoing.
He said he did not attend the rally to form a new party but to protest against the executive presidency, which the UNP also was seeking to abolish. Mr. Abeysinghe said he was aware of a move to remove certain UNP members, including him, as some senior party members feared a mutiny.
“Change must come to our party and they know that we will do everything in our power to bring about that change. Fear is driving them to get rid of us,” he said.
General Secretary Attanayake said those who had been served with the show-cause letter had to explain themselves at the inquiry which would be conducted in a fair manner.
Disciplinary action would be taken against them if they had violated the party constitution, he said.
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