Kiriella asks President to apologise to people for the mess

By saman Indrajith

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday speaking in parliament called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to learn from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tender an apology to the public for the mess he created by driving people to stage street protests.

“The present crisis has been created by none other but by President Rajapaksa. He should take a cue from Indian Prime Minister Modi. Modi introduced an Act in Parliament to give farmers’ lands to companies. Farmers with the support of people held protests all over India. That resulted in Modi losing four provincial states. Thereafter he withdrew the particular Act and apologized to farmers. President Rajapaksa should do the same.

“We have been trying for three days to find solutions for the crises. This is not a crisis of our making. The Speaker warns of a looming food crisis. The reason for the food crisis is nothing but an arbitrary decision made by the President to go organic and banning chemical fertilisers that resulted in 50 per cent loss of harvest.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: I said that there would be a food shortage if action was not taken to prevent it. The government has decided to permit import of chemical fertiliser.

Chief Opposition Whip: What I am asking is whether Parliament was consulted before making that decision. It is an arbitrary decision. As per the Article 27 of the Constitution the President is bound by the responsibility to provide people with sufficient food, clothing and housing. There is a list of such needs. When the President took the oath, he pledged to uphold and protect the constitution. Now, he has violated that. People have no food, clothing and housing. A bag of cement now costs more than Rs. 3,000. Prices of clothes have increased by 300 per cent.

“Soon after he assumed office as President he amassed all the powers given to the Prime Minister, the Speaker and Parliament by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. He weakened the powers of parliament. Now, he is asking for solutions from parliament that has been rendered invalid. Suppose we found a solution for these crises, this president can decide not to implement them.

“It is not us in this parliament who should be held responsible for the crises. It was not us who conducted talks with India on Trinco oil tank farm. Parliament was not informed of those talks and agreements. A section of the port was given to China. We still do not know what exactly had been given to them. We boast that parliament has supremacy over all public finances, yet the finance minister has not spoken a word to parliament since Dec 10,” Kiriella said.