Govt allies condemn SLPP statement against Udaya Gammanpila

The heads of eight political parties with parliamentary representation, who are friends of the government, have opposed the plan to blame the fuel price increases on Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila.

The leaders of these parties said in a press statement that General Secretary of the SLPP (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna) Sagara Kariyawasam attempted to hold Minister Gammanpila solely responsible for the price hike, despite the fact that it was a government decision reached with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's participation.

The declaration was signed by Democratic Left Front Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, National Freedom Front Industry Minister Wimal Weerawansa, and MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera of the People's Power Party, National Congress MP A.L.M. Athaullaha, Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) MP Prof. Tissa Vitarana, Communist Party MP W. Weerasinghe, Eksath Mahajana Party MP Tiran Alles, and Sri Lanka Mahajana Party MP Asanka Navaratne

The government and the people, they said in the statement, were in the midst of a crisis brought on by the pandemic.

Any government would be forced to make some unpalatable decisions in such a situation, and the increase in fuel prices was one of them.

They stated they clearly criticized the initiative to blame the price increase on the subject minister, stressing the importance of providing remedy to low-income families in these circumstances.

They claimed that by making such a speech, the SLPP General Secretary had raised public suspicions about the government's factionalism.  (Kelum Bandara)