War of words between SLFP and JVP
The SLFP yesterday hit back at JVP
leader Somawansa Amarasinghe who had earlier compared
the SLFP to a prostitute.
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Sirisena |
SLFP General Secretary Maithripala
Sirisena in a hard-hitting speech was reacting to comments
made by Mr. Amarasinghe on Friday at a rally in Polonnaruwa
where he said the SLFP was “just like someone
engaged in the world’s oldest profession –
someone who is standing on the street waiting for whoever
comes along to be picked up”.
Mr. Amarasinghe also said: “We
forwarded our proposals to the SLFP. We waited for its
response. The SLFP was a party that exercised independent
policies. We should respect that. But it now says it
is neither for this side nor for that side.
“That is what is bad about the
oldest profession. Now this is the very same thing with
the SLFP. If this is to change, go for elections. They
must go not only for a general election, but also for
a presidential election. If this does not happen, the
people will take to the streets and they will send the
President home.”
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Amarasinghe |
Mr. Sirisena said that as the General
Secretary of the SLFP it was his duty to respond to
the statement made by Mr. Amarasinghe and the SLFP did
not want any certificates from the JVP.
“We could have decided as to
what profession the JVP could have gone into. It could
have gone into the profession, with which it compared
the SLFP, if there had been a general election immediately
after the local government polls. Many party members
told us to hold a general election, but the President
did not agree because he wanted to show gratitude,”
he said.
“The day Somawansa Amarasinghe
came from London and gave a four-and-a-half-hour speech,
that was the day the party members lost faith in the
party.
“Now he is talking about the
SLFP’s origins.. The SLFP does not need anyone’s
certification. I also heard Somawansa Amarasinghe saying
that when our security forces were attacking LTTE camps
in the north/East, it was the JVP that boosted their
morale. He claimed that the mental strength was given
by the JVP. What bunkum (bambuwa). The security forces
are doing an excellent job and nobody should claim credit
for that,” he said.
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