Protests are being staged against the government by the opposition on the issues that they created while they were in power during the last regime, said a group of United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarians yesterday.
They said that democracy is thriving in the country under this government which allows various groups especially the Joint Opposition to stage protests almost every day without any hindrance. The UNP MPs made these observations at a press conference at Sirikotha auditorium yesterday.
“This government under the leadership of the President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has become one that offer flowers to those who hurl stones at it,” UNP Parliamentarian Thushara Indunil said.
He also said that there is a protest by the Ceylon Electricity Board employees demanding for a salary increment. “It had been mooted due to a salary increment made to senior CEB engineers five days before the last Presidential Election,” Indunil said.
“But, it was not been granted to others and they demand it from us.”
He also said that when the issue of the manpower workers of the Sri Lanka Telecom was taken into consideration, a large number of persons had been recruited to SLT via manpower agencies. “They had joined the SLT and the government had given a promise to recruit them into the permanent cadre,” MP Indunil said. “Now, these workers demand this government make them permanent.”
He further said that the SAITM private medical college had been set up during the previous regime. “But, now the Joint Opposition is agitating ding against same,” the MP said.
“When I inquired from some students who have connections to the Inter Student’s Union, why they did not protest against the SAITM at the outset when it was set up, they said they did not do so for fear of Gotabhaya,” the UNP MP said.
UNP Parliamentarian Wijepala Hettiarachchi also spoke.