Minister alleges protesters seeking to cause anarchy for personal benefits

Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga yesterday (28) told a group of protesting civil society activists that they were trying to cause anarchy for financial benefits.

Ranatunga, who is also Urban Development and Housing Minister, dismissed the protesters’ concerns that the new laws that had been enacted, and those recently submitted to Parliament, were detrimental to the interests of the public. The protesters demanded that the SLPP parliamentary group refrain from voting for controversial bills, particularly the Economic Transformation Bill to be taken up on 05 June.

Responding to queries posed by journalists at the scene of the protest, Minister Ranatunga claimed that such protests were irrelevant as the vast majority of people backed the government. Minister Ranatunga, however, said that the people had a right to protest. (SF)