JVP claims govt. hiked salaries of public servants due to pressure

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today claimed that the government did not increase the salaries of public servants out of their own will, but instead due to continuous demands made to that effect.

“A situation was created where the government had to provide the salary increment due to the pressure exerted by the leftist groups,” JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told a news conference.

He made these remarks while responding to a query on the present government's decision to increase the salaries of public servants up to Rs 10,000.

Silva blamed the government for not acting against those involved in fraud and corruption under the previous government.

He pointed out that the JVP had strongly accused the previous government of fraud and corruption, and therefore had the responsibility to prove that.

"As an honest faction, we filed our complaints and provided the required information. The government was responsible to act upon the complaints. However, it failed in its duty to do so," he added.

The JVP General Secretary rejected accusations that his party supports the United National Party. “We wouldn’t have fielded our own candidate if we supported Ranil (Wickremesinghe) or Mahinda (Rajapaksa),” Silva remarked.

The JVP-backed National People's Power movement has nominated JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake as its presidential candidate.