President comes under severe criticism at Ven. Sobitha commemoration event

Professor Sarath Wijesuriya who along with Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha thera engineered the “Just Society” campaign that propelled President Maithripala Sirisena to office yesterday accused him of dragging the country back to the repressive pre January 2015 days and putting democracy in grave danger.

Speaking at the event held to mark the third death anniversary of the Thera at the New Town Hall in Colombo, Professor Wijesuriya said that it was good in a way that Sobitha Thera had passed away before seeing the massacre by President Sirisena of all the ideals on which the “Just Society” campaign has been built upon.

The event was attended by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, as well as Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Champika Ranawaka, Arjuna Ranatunga, Malik Samarawickrema and several others.

“When we look back, I can recall the words of the Venerable Thera. With his immense wisdom, the Thera knew that President Sirisena was a person with no gratitude .The Thera told me on the day the President decided to take over the SLFP leadership, he had put his party position over the leadership of the country and forgotten the noble principles based on which he was elected.

He accused the President of blocking investigations against the Rajapaksa family and others connected to them from early on as well as against others who have been involved in criminal activities.

He said the person who he has appointed as the new Justice Minister is one against whom a case was begun by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division but was stopped by the President. “This shows we are heading towards very dangerous times. Criminals are out and so are the corrupt people. Isn’t it our great misfortune that such a person is the leader of this country?” he said.

Professor Wijesuriya said that the President had used one of his henchmen, a MP he brought in through the National List, as a front man to attack former President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a very low manner.  “He had dealt the death knell to democracy in the country. He does not have basic decency. Why does he visit temples?  Every time he observes the five precepts, his sins became bigger,” he said.

Professor Wijesuriya also apologized to voters who voted for President Sirisena based on the campaign led by him and others like Venerable Sobitha Thera.

Professor Wijesuriya appealed to all 225 MPs not to disrupt sittings when the House meets on November 14 and allow the House to decide who should be Prime Minister. “If Mahinda Rajapaksa gets the majority, he should be given the PM post.  If Ranil Wickremesinghe gets the majority, he should be given the PM post. Settle this is a civilized manner,” he said.