SJB considers no confidence motion against Aluthgamage as protests build up

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will decide this week if it would proceed with a proposal to go ahead with a no confidence motion against Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage for his failure to provide fertilizer for farmers in time for cultivation.

The decision will be taken by the SJB Parliamentary group during the week.

A spokesman for the party said that a number of members have proposed that a no confidence motion should be brought against the minister as farmers were continuing to experience difficulties in finding suitable fertilizer to start the next season.

SJB members have pointed out that despite the minister claiming that organic fertilizer was being imported the government was actually importing chemical fertilizer.

Meanwhile more protests were held over the weekend by farmers in different parts of the country and effigies of minister Aluthgamage were burnt down.

Minister Aluthgamage reacting to the protests said that the JVP was responsible for staging the protests, but said that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party which is in the government was also now backing the protests.

Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara pointed out that the government should have gone to introduce a programme to methodically to reduce chemical fertlizer instead of rushing through a programme.

Farmers have organised more protests this week.

However, Minister Aluthgamage claims that the required fertilizer would be provided.