SJB Vice Chairman and National List MP Harin Fernando yesterday offered to resign from his parliamentary seat to enable former MP Ranjan Ramanayake to return to Parliament.
Speaking during a ceremony held at Wattala to mark the opening of the SJB party office, MP Fernando said: “I know that I have become a headache to this government and the President. They could easily get rid of that trouble. All they have to do is grant a full presidential pardon to Ranjan Ramanayake. If they do so I will resign from my seat and give it to Ranjan so that the government’s inconvenience caused by me in Parliament would be over.
“We have made many requests to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to consider granting a full presidential pardon to Ranjan. He is in prison not because of murder or any anti-social offence but because of his politics. None would find fault with the government for giving him a pardon,” MP Fernando said.
He said that it was not new for him to resign from the parliamentary seat for a worthy cause. “If I resign, the Opposition Leader or the General Secretary of the SJB can appoint a suitable individual. None would say that Ranjan is not suitable for the seat. I can engage in grassroots level politics but a person of Ranjan’s calibre should be in Parliament. It would be a win-win situation for all – to the government, to the SJB and to Ranjan,” MP Fernando said.
“After all, I have no intention of sticking to politics until death. I have issued an affidavit that I would retire from politics when I reach 60. There is no point in one doing politics after retirement age. That would only obstruct the upcoming of new leaders. I will retire from politics when I will be 60, giving the youth an opportunity. John Amaratunga became the organiser of the Wattala electorate in 1978 – the year I was born, and he held it for 42 years. He would have been here today if not for his health condition. However, I have no intention to remain in politics for 42 years more. I will resign from politics in 18 years allowing the youth to come up from Wattala, while doing the utmost for the electorate.
MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said the youth in the country today were going through challenging times.
Commenting on the consequences of older politicians not withdrawing from politics in order to provide opportunities to younger politicians, MP Ranawaka said during a recent discussion with academics from the Peradeniya University, it was revealed that there was a proposal to extend the retirement age for university professors to 75 years.
The MP said one Professor had pointed out that it was not practical to hold on to a post for so long as the youth would be deprived of opportunities.
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