Hirunika: Govt. organising Independence Day celebrations while people are dying without food and medicine

…calls on people to stage protests in Galle Face

Former MP and SJB women’s wing leader, Hirunika Premachandra, yesterday, expressed her opposition to the 75th Independence Day celebrations being organised by the government.

She visited Galle Face, where the preparations are being made for the Independence Day celebrations and tied black ribbons on the rafters and columns of the main podium. She said the government was spending 200 million rupees on the show while people were dying without food and medicine.

Hirunika said the government should have stopped this year’s Independence Day celebrations as the country was facing a severe economic crisis.

She called on all Lankans to visit Galle Face and protest by wearing black bands, and holding black flags.

She said she felt sorry for the armed forces’ personnel, and police officers, who were seen rehearsing for the Independence Day celebrations.

The government is preparing to celebrate the 75th National Independence Day at a cost of Rs. 200 million.  Recently, Ashoka Priyantha, the State Minister of Home .