Johnston: Why are they silent on mastermind behind grenade in church?

Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando told Parliament on Friday that those who had been clamouring for the need to find the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks were silent about the recent detection of a grenade at the All Saints’ Church in Borella.

Participating in the adjournment debate on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Throne Speech, the Minister said: “Nobody is asking us to find the mastermind behind the grenade incident. The mastermind of this incident should be found. We hope that those responsible for these acts will soon be exposed.

“Similarly, the gas explosions too should be investigated. As I said these incidents are not accidents. There should be a mastermind behind them as well. Their objective is to place the government in difficulty. The objective of those who planted a hand grenade at the church too was the same. These should be investigated.

Responding to a query from the Opposition with regard to the non-removal of the Chairman of Litro Gas, the Minister said: “The President did not remove him. The President visited that office and made a decision to keep the incumbent chairman in the same post. It is wrong to blame the President on these issues. The President is a democratic leader. He visited the place and after getting first-hand information he decided to retain the chairman. He made similar decision when he visited Lankagama. There he decided to renovate that road linking Lankagama with the nearby town. It is within his power to make such decisions. The President makes right decisions. He has been given powers to appoint and remove chairmen and ministers.”