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JO’s paada yaathra walks the talk to Colombo tomorrow
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Pic by Anuradha Bandara
The third leg of the Jana Satana Paada Yaathra (protest march) organised by the Joint Opposition (JO) concluded in Nittambuwa town last evening. The procession is due to arrive in Kiribathgoda today, before entering Colombo tomorrow (1) where it will conclude with a public rally.
The march began from Peradeniya town on Thursday (28), after police obtained a court order prohibiting the marchers from commencing their procession within the municipal limits of Kandy town. The march had originally been scheduled to commence from Kandy.
Participants, numbering several thousand, commenced their paada yaathra after former President and current Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa took part in religious observances at the Getambe Purana Rajamaha Vihara to invoke blessings on the march.
The march was originally due to pass through Mawanella town. However, police had obtained yet another court order prohibiting the marchers from entering Mawanella. As such, JO organisers decided to end the first day of the procession next to the Gantenna sub post office, about 20 metres from Mawanella town.
As a court order was in place, prohibiting the marchers from entering Mawanella town, organisers made certain they bypassed the town completely by commencing the second leg of the march on Friday from Uthuwankanda. The marchers passed through Kegalle town and Galigamuwa before ending their paada yaathra for the second day, when they arrived in Nelundeniya.
The third leg began from Nelundeniya yesterday. The procession passed through several major towns along the Kandy-Colombo road, such as Warakapola and Weweldeniya, before ending for the day in Nittambuwa.
Heavy traffic has been reported along the Kandy-Colombo road during the procession. The police however, were seen doing their utmost to control the situation and direct traffic with minimal inconvenience to the public.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as well as JO stalwarts Dulles Alahapperuma, Vasudewa Nanayakkara, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Gamini Lokuge, Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila were among the many prominent parliamentarians who took part in the protest march.
There have been numerous functions organised along the way as the marchers make their way to Colombo. JO Leaders have addressed supporters at these functions, while several dansals were also organised on all days, offering food and drinks for those taking part.
Those taking part have also made their presence felt on social media, with photos and videos uploaded to social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
However, the march has also created a minor split in the JO, with General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Communist Party D.E.W. Gunasekara refusing to take part in the rally, on the grounds that the slogan claiming the proposed new Constitution a ‘death trap’ was misleading. However, the party’s Chairman, Raja Collure insisted Mr Gunasekara’s decision to not participate was his personal choice, but that, the party had decided to take part in the procession.