UNP, SLFP(M) vow to topple Government

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday vowed to carry forward the opposition’s struggle till it topples the government and establishes democracy in the country in collaboration with all progressive forces.

The UNP-SLFP (Mahajana Wing) political alliance, now called the National Congress, held its first public rally in Colombo yesterday. Thousands of party supporters from various parts of the country assembled at Campbell Park, Borella and proceeded in a procession to Hyde Park where they staged a mammoth rally.

Addressing the gathering, Mr.Wickremesinghe said the present government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not have a mandate because people in the Northern and Eastern provinces had been prevented from exercising their franchise at the Presidential Election after Mr. Rajapaksa struck a secret deal with the LTTE.

He said that democracy had declined in the country today with rampant corruption, intimidation and kidnappings.The Opposition Leader said that 75 percent of the country’s national budget was controlled by the ‘Rajapaksa quartet’ and Parliament, the sole authority over public finances, had to deal with only 25 percent of it.

“We pay taxes. Everyone pays VAT. So Parliament is responsible for public finances. But, we have control over only 25 percent of budget expenditure,” he said.

He said that leading politicians had got commissions on every government deal.

“They indulge in corruption from deals regarding buffaloes in the livestock industry to Mihin Air,” he said.

Mr.Wickremesinghe said the cost of living had gone through the roof today and investors were reluctant to come here with the prevailing situation.

He said that this was only the first step of their protest against the government, and vowed to take it forward vigorously in order to topple the government and reestablish democracy in the greater interests of the country and the people.

Convener of the SLFP (Mahajana) Wing, Mangala Samaraweera, requested the JVP to be a party to their broad alliance which aimed at resolving the major issues that confronted the nation today.

Mr.Samaraweera asked how the JVP could, instead, support the government which was rampant with corruption.

“The JVP says they are unwilling to join forces with the UNP. But even before we did, they acted together with the UNP to introduce the 17th Amendment to the Constitution -- which was drafted by the UNP MP K.N. Choksy. I would like to ask them how they could give oxygen to this government under the present circumstances,” he said He also requested those SLFP Ministers who were disappointed with the present ‘tyrannical administration’ to team up with their new alliance.“We assure them that we will create a favourable environment for those disappointed members to break their silence and join hands with us by the time the budget is presented to Parliament in November or December,” he said. He charged that the government had spent Rs. 600 million for the function held at Independence Square to mark the liberation of Thoppigala from the Tigers.

Mr. Samaraweera said that this money could have been used to give a special bonus of Rs.40, 000 to each soldier instead of being spent on boosting the images of certain politicians.

He said that Mr.Rajapaksa was elected as President because they had done things they should not have done.