Paada Yathra leaders 'want to protect themselves'

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Minister Duminda Dissanayake

SLFP General Secretary and Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake, commenting on the Paada Yaathra, said that a democratically elected Government is mandated to run its full term of five years to fulfil the aspirations of its voters.

The SLFP-UNP MoU singed only for two years has since been extended to five years mainly to give effect to the National Unity Government's development drive.

It is common sense that no Government could, let alone develop the country, but plan out its strategies within just one year. In the circumstances, the Joint Opposition (JO) strategy to topple the Government at this stage is illogical and ill-advised to say the least.

Q:Do you consider the Joint Opposition (JO) Pada Yatra as some kind of warning or threat to the Government?

A: We also came to know about this Paada Yathra via the media and nobody has officially informed us about it. The Government completes its one year tenure in office next month. We were also in the Government of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and we are well aware that one year is not sufficient to launch the Government's program.

We had similar experience under the UPFA Governments of 1994, 2005 and 2010. People know very well some kind of development program has been launched in the electorates with the advent of this Government although major infrastructure development projects are yet to be launched.

We have to give priority to develop the economy and repay the debts of the previous Government.

The people have begun to realise that the Government is trying to address the burning issues. Therefore, Pada Yatra is not a threat whatsoever to the Government.

Q:President Maithripala Sirisena has apparently not objected to the JO Paada Yathra but will you be taking any action against SLFP MPs who take part in it?

A: The President at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting denied certain media reports and said, at the recent meeting he had with the JO members, they didn't mention anything about the Paada Yathra. Neither the SLFP nor the President has any connection whatsoever officially or unofficially with this Paada Yathra. At the moment, I am not in a position to say whether the SLFP would take any disciplinary action or not against the SLFP MPs who participate in the Paada Yathra. We have to wait and see the developments.

Q:The JO has said they will somehow topple this Government before 2020. Can they do that? What is your comment?

A: I regret very much over this statement. If any political party gives an undertaking that they would topple a democratically elected Government, it is mere talk to grab power. This is what happened in the past. The two main parties, the SLFP and the UNP formed a National Government to put an end to hate politics. The political past is full of instances where the Opposition habitually opposed the Government and tried to gain narrow political mileage.

This National Government focused on several key aspects such as the country's future, electoral system, the constitution, national harmony and economy. If anybody says they would topple the Government, it means they are totally against the Government's progressive moves.

Who will come to power after toppling this Government? The people sent them home on August 17 last year as they failed to fulfil the people's aspirations.

When Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena contested the January 8 Presidential Election, the people reposed their confidence in Maithripala Sirisena and defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa.

At last Presidential Election, the people gave a democratic verdict. Hardly a year passed, and the JO pledges to topple the Government. Other than pressurising the Government to immediately fulfil the pledges given on August 17 , what is the reason for the attempts at toppling the Government at this juncture? Is this what the people really want? A Government should be allowed to complete its full term in office. At the next election, they could tell the people that the Government has failed to fulfil its pledges and not to vote them in. But this is real greed for power, not anything else.

Q:There is a notion that many of the JO members who have court cases against them want to evade them and that is the urgency to topple the Government. Your comments?

A: It is obvious that they are wanting power to shield themselves against the allegations of corruption and other irregularities. It was former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who always flaunted a set of files containing allegations against some of those MPs in the JO. In the near future, we would disclose their names. Many of the SLFP MPs who wanted to join President Maithripala Sirisena on January 8 couldn't do so because their files were with former President. Rather than taking action, the former President continued to keep those crooks with him.

The situation has since changed and is an irony of fate that these crooks are being hauled up before courts for corruptions and various other vices. That is what happened during the last 10 years. But when the law is being enforced properly, they have got scared, and are exploring ways and means of covering up their wrongdoings. Now, anybody who has committed a fraud or vice has to go before the FCID, Bribery Commission and the courts. It is difficult but cost effective. Earlier it was a comic situation and any politician could indulge in any wrongdoing and get the pardon of the former President. The matter ended there.

Q:There is a perception that investigations on corruption cases of the last regime are deliberately slow and nothing will happen in the end. Your observations?

A: There is public criticism regarding this matter. It would be fair to take some time to complete the investigations if they are to be conducted in a proper manner. We pledged to the people that culprits would be brought to book once we come to power. But nobody can be prosecuted on mere allegations. If the investigations are deliberately delayed, we cannot permit it. We can't simply imprison people as the former President Rajapaksa did with former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

Q: Are any JO members planning to cross over to the Government soon? Are there talks going on in this regard?

A: You would be able to see it in the near future.

Q: What was the rationale behind the joint announcement made by the UNP General Secretary Minister Kabir Hashim and his SLFP counterpart Duminda Dissanayake that the National Unity Government will continue the full term of five years?

A:Although we signed the MoU for two years, we have taken a decision that the National Government should go for its full term of five years. It seems to have become a hot topic today. At the joint press conference conducted by the President, Prime Minister, UNP General Secretary and myself on January 8, the President clearly stated that this Government would continue its five year term. When the SLFP and UNP formed a National Government, there should be consensus and a stipulated time frame. That is why both parties signed the MoU for two years. However, the JO members created a new slogan that they would topple the Government in two years, which is totally undemocratic. If a Government is toppled in two years, investors won't come, the world community won't assist us, and Government employees won't fulfil their duties. That is why a decision was taken to extend the MoU up to five years to stabilise the country. As a result ,the hopes of those who attempted to topple the Government in two years have been shattered.

Q:There are reports that there is a lot of division in the SLFP Government faction itself over issues such as VAT and Arjun Mahendran coming back in another role. Your comments?

A: We have no issue of Arjun Mahendran being given whatever portfolio. I don't like to comment about his conduct as former Central Bank Governor because investigations are going on.

We have no personal issue with Arjun Mahendran but some of the incidents which took place when he was the Central Bank Governor are controversial. VAT was increased up to 20 percent during the former regime. The issue is not increasing VAT from 11 to 15 percent, but the implications that would arise when this methodology is implemented.

Q:The Local Government elections are only a few months away, even if you allow for the delimitation delays. How confident is the SLFP at this stage about winning the election?

A: At the moment interviews are in progress to select candidates for LG elections. We have educated the electoral organisers.

The SLFP is not scared about elections, especially, the LG elections. Most of the rural development projects were done during the SLFP regime.

If a faction of the SLFP contests separately at the LG polls, the vote base of the party would divide. If any faction of the SLFP thinks, the party should be divided due to the electoral defeat of former President Rajapaksa, it is some sort of revenge from its party men. Does it mean the former President is taking revenge from the people as they didn't vote for him ? If the SLFP vote is divided, cannot the former President understand that the victory will be with the UNP.