Gammanpila lashes out at SLPP Gen Secretary who called for his resignation

Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila today said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had endorsed the fuel price increase which came into effect on Friday.

He was responding to a letter sent by the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam calling for the resignation of Gammanpila taking responsibility for the failure to prevent the fuel price increase.

Minister Gammanpila who summoned an urgent press conference today said that the fuel price hike approved by the President and Prime Minister was also approved by a ministerial committee.

He said that Mr Kariyawasam’s letter was a disrespect to the Prime Minister who is also the Finance Minister.

He said after the letter by Mr Kariywasam was made public yesterday the President and Prime Minister had spoken to him, but Mr Gammanpila declined to give details of the calls given to him by the Prime Minister and President.

Journalists also raised questions whether this was a ploy by the ruling party to distract the public who have been seriously affected by the fuel price increase.

Mr Gammanpila, however avoided answering questions about the reasoning of the fuel price increases saying he hopes to focus only on Mr Kariyawasam’s statement.

Mr Kariyawasam in a statement issued yesterday (12)on a SLPP letterhead said that Mr Gammanpila had failed to take adequate measures to prevent a fuel price hike and therefore should take the responsibility and resign from his post.