(Lanka-e-News -22.Feb.2012, 3.10PM) The Govt. Parliamentary group meeting itself held in the morning (21) turned out to be one tantamount to giving a slap in the face of the Rajapakses. The Govt. members bitterly opposed the moves and conduct of the regime as never before in one voice as though they had planned ahead. The fierce resentment and opposition of the people mounted against the regime as the target while a Rajapakse was at the center of the meeting became manifest via the Govt. MPs themselves.
The govt. parl. Group meeting commenced this morning at 11.00. Though Dinesh Gunawardena was to chair the meeting , it was Basil Rajapakse who took that place. It was Mahinda Amaraweera who is from Hambantota itself who fired the first barbed shot as the meeting began. ‘When the Govt. is conducting itself this way heeding no one, how can we go to our villages?’ ‘ Not only the people , even we cannot endure these spiraling cost of commodities. Amidst this , is it proper to shoot at the people?.’ , he inquired . No sooner than this first criticism was fired , Sarath Gunaratne , the Dep. Minister fired the second shot equally viciously , he asserted that the fisherman’s demands are reasonable , and shooting at the fishermen is unreasonable and condemnable. What was most significant and special to note during these open criticisms was , no Govt. MP or Minister stood by the Govt. Nobody spoke on behalf of the Govt. and a majority even supported the bitter criticisms and charges leveled against it openly.
Athureliya Rathane M P. who got up at that juncture said, ‘As Hela Urumaya , we do not know anything about the decisions taken by this Govt. Hence, do not misconstrue that we are supporting those decisions. We are opposed to these actions’ he added. ‘As a constituent party of the Alliance , they should ask us , should n’t they?
Minister Champika Ranawake too took the Govt. to task furiously. ‘ We all got together and prepared a price formula. Now , were these price hikes done on that basis? After asking whom were these price hikes introduced ? This Govt. is not doing what we request . We are strongly objecting to this.’, he pointed out venomously.
It was also something most noteworthy because Basil Rajapakse who was in the middle when all these loud castigations and charges were leveled viciously against the Govt. chose to remain silent. Later . Maithripala Sirisena stood up and said meekly , a form had been prepared to be filled after going to the villages , and they will be made available shortly. He too did not speak anything more.
An MP at the end of the meeting stated ,’ how can the MPs and Ministers go to the villages with the forms , when they are fighting shy of visiting their villages ?’
The Govt. parliamentary group meeting yesterday clearly and amply proved beyond any trace of doubt that there is venomous and widespread opposition against the regime among the rank and file of the Govt. itself.
