"I didn't say anything like that about Hambantota Port" -- Minister Wijedasa shows signs of quitting Ministership on Monday

"I didn't say anything like that about Hambantota Port" -- Minister Wijedasa shows signs of quitting Ministership on Monday

The UNP Working Committee turned into a heated environment on the matter of Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa destroying the confidence placed on him. On that occasion everybody made speeches surrounding him as if to assault him while Minister Wijedasa has mentioned that what he told Lankadeepa about acquiring Hambantota Port somehow or the other has been published misinterpreting it when actually he had not said so, thus freeing himself from guilt. He had also stated

that he does not tamper or influence in judicial affairs.

As the UNP took precautions not to leak out interior matters of what took place at the meeting reaching the outside world in an official manner, what Minister Gayantha had in the end told was that "we didn't speak anything about Wijedasa", thus mixing a lie. Whatever it is, several Ministers have divulged this information in detail to the media. However what actually happened was published in the media in a manner favourable to them, it appears. In any case after this strong protest, news had spread round that Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa would on Monday be stepping down from his position of Minister of Justice.

With the party working committee which gathered under the leadership of Mr. Ranil Wickremasingha with the UNP crowd of Members of Parliament yesterday (17) at Sirikotha, it was Deputy Minister Mr. Ajith P. Perera who initially expressed his ideas. The Minister of Justice inclusive of judicial sectors were subjected to severe flaws on not taking steps to arrest culprits of the past regime, the Deputy Minister complained. The following parliamentarians and others have expressed their opinion in not being capable of dragging the net over corrupt elements of the past government, blaming the government in a stern mood: Messrs. Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, Harin Fernando, Sarath Fonseka, Navin Dissanaike, Ashok Abeysinghe, Nalin Bandara, Ranjan Ramanayaka, Ruwan Wijayawardena, Chandima Gamage and Ravindra Samaraweera.

At this point what Justice Minister Mr. Wijedasa Rajapaksa has voiced his ideas saying that he is not able to speed up the process of the law against corrupt elements of the past government. In the same way he made no statement to the effect that the Hambantota Port would once again be somehow or other acquired, the Minister added. They however did not believed what he said.

Thus the proposal brought forward on the No Confidence against Mr. Rajapaksa was unanimously acknowledged by the united Working Committee meeting yesterday (17). The proposal was forwarded by Member of Parliament Mr. Ashu Marasingha and was confirmed by Polonnaruwa District MP Mr. Anura Sidney Jayaratna. This special proposal was brought forward basing it on 5 allegations and were as follows: Failing to implement his responsibilities as the Justice Minister; failing to launch new laws to control bribery and corroption stated in the policy of Eksath Jathika Peramuna; failing to provide the public to acquire the wealth earned through crime and to bring on new laws in that connection; Justice not being enforced as a result of the excessive delay in hearing criminal cases in which instance strong criticisms have been targeted by Sri Lankan citizens at the Justice Minister; the government and the United National Party being thus subjected to strong public censure. In this instance strong allegations were thrown against Justice Minister Mr. Wijedasa Rajapaksa to relinquish his duties on his own for purposely delaying apprehending culprits and for throwing law suits under the carpet.

Deputy Minister of Power and Energy, Mr. Ajith P. Perera who came out from the Working Committee shouted out that the Justice Minister should be held responsible for delays in hearing of cases and since he has failed to take action in preventing such delays and therefore to leave his position and that if he does not, the party would be destroyed. Mr. Wijedasa Rajapaksa to whom criticisms were aimed at is expected to take a significant political decision by next Monday, UNP sources mention.