Fonseka tipped to be Law and Order Minister Ranil only for 2 weeks - Rajitha Senaratne
Speaking to Ceylon Today, Dr. Senaratne said, the Premier had taken over the Ministry temporarily in the absence of Fonseka who was abroad at the time of the Cabinet reshuffle.
"It was Fonseka's name that was initially proposed for the said portfolio, but was given to Wickremesinghe temporarily as Fonseka was not in the country," Dr. Senaratne said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Senaratne, while addressing a press briefing yesterday, had said that several high-ranking Police officers were against the appointment of Fonseka as the Law and Order Minister.
He, however, said that officers in the lower ranks were in favour of the appointment.
He said, "The country needs a person who can take stern action as the Law and Order Minister. People who play double games are not suitable for such a post."
Moreover, Dr. Senaratne further said that Fonseka is also a war hero. "Everyone has to accept that. Today, some murderers and thieves are also named as war heroes. Therefore, the Government should take fair decisions and it should not appoint Ministers by looking merely at their names," the Minister added.
"Ministerial portfolios are not eternal things. It is the President and the Prime Minister of the country who should take a decision about the Government, not the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) or the United National Party (UNP). The Cabinet cannot be formed according to the wishes of ministers," he noted. Meanwhile, speaking at a media briefing on the same day, the SLFP General Secretary Minister Duminda Dissanayake also said that the Premier was sworn in to the Law and Order Ministerial portfolio temporarily.
The Premier was appointed as the Minister of Law and Order which was previously held by Minister Sagala Ratnayake on 26 February.
