Pada Yatra

‘Not to bring back Rajapaksa family’

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Jana Satana Pada Yatra Committee Chairman and UPFA Kandy District Parliamentarian Mahindananda Aluthgamage insists, the Joint Opposition (JO) is not greedy to capture power soon. In an interview with the Sunday Observer MP Aluthgamage said, they have no objection to the Government continuing in office till 2020, because they have got a mandate from the people, and that is democracy. “We don’t want to sabotage the forward march of the Government and capture power. However, if the Government’s conduct is so unpalatable, the JO will be compelled to take certain measures,” he says.

Excerpts:

Q: Do you think the Joint Opposition (JO) could pose a threat to the Government through its Pada Yatra? Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, next time they will not go back until they capture power. Why can’t, or don’t, you wait until 2020, to come to power by means of an election?

A: Actually, we showed the red light to the Government through the Pada Yatra. There were seven reasons, namely, re-merging the North and East, ETCA, VAT hike, indefinitely postponing Local Government elections, curtailing subsidies and the war crimes tribunal. It was a completely different mandate that the Government got on January 8. Then, the Government categorically said it would never go for separation or embrace federalism, curtail subsidies or impose taxes on the people. However, the Government is continuing in office by going against its January 8 mandate. If the Government passes some of the proposed legislation in Parliament, the country would face a disaster.

This is not what the people expected. The Government is trying to keep the two thirds majority and pass all such anti-people amendments. But, we want to show the Government that there is a two thirds population outside Parliament which is against them. The Government is just one year old and has been formed in collaboration with two major parties. So, it has to be a strong Government. They thought, we organised that Pada Yatra to topple the Government, but our intention was not to topple the Government. We gave them a warning that they should correct themselves. If the Government continues to behave in such a high-handed manner, we, together with the people, will have to change the Government.

Q: There were lots of allegations of drunken behaviour, violence, inconvenience caused to the public and use of children to read out political slogans, etc. What is your comment?

A: Being the committee chairman of the Pada Yatra, I can say that the number of drunken people was minimal. During the Pada Yatra, we didn’t provide any liquor to the participants. A few people were seen in front of some wine stores. Two incidents that took place were, hooting in front of the party headquarters and a child uttering some political slogans. Actually, they were expecting some incidents in front of the Bandaranaike Samadhi at Horagolla. I was at the Pada Yatra from start to end, but not a single untoward incident happened. However, we tendered an open apology for the incident in front of the party headquarters. A child uttering some political slogans was not something that was organised. We don’t say it is right. This kind of isolated incidents could happen in a 3 kilometer long Pada Yatra. We completely regret it and are ready to rectify such shortcomings in the future.

Q: A lot of requests from the Police to block the Pada Yatra were turned down by the judiciary. Doesn’t that indicate the independence of the judiciary?

A: The Judiciary has taken a big turn. The Government went to each and every court in Kandy, Mawanella, Kegalle, Mahara, Thulhiriya, Kadawatha and Colombo to obtain injunctions. During the past one and a half years, the Government was interfering with the judiciary. But this time, the judiciary gave a strict ruling to the Government, ensuring the people’s right to take part in protests.

Q: Although you think of regaining power in the near future, the SLFP and the UNP have extended their National Unity Government MoU up to five years. In this backdrop, do you think you have a chance till 2020?

A: The extension of the MoU was signed by the two party secretaries, but the party members are not happy. They can sign an MoU, but both, SLFP and UNP Parliamentarians are not happy with the Government. For example, seventy percent of the SLFP Ministers in the Government are unhappy with the MoU. We say frankly, we are not greedy to come to power. We agree to allow the Government to continue, it is democracy, and we don’t wish to sabotage its forward march. However, if the Government tries to behave in such a manner as to ruin the country, we have to take certain actions.

Q: There is another allegation that the JO wants to grab power to avoid the investigations against them. What is your view ?

A: That is an absurd statement. If we want to sweep these cases under the carpet, we would have not organized this kind of Pada Yatra. Then, we would have kept silent and come to an amicable settlement with the Government. If we organize protests means, we are not scared. What did the leaders of the Government say before January 8, 2015? They talked about mega deals, highway robberies, Lamborghini cars and foreign bank accounts. Have they taken up any of these issues and brought the culprits to book? All these are stories concocted by the Government to mislead the public.

Q: There is also a notion that all this is to bring back the Rajapaksa family to power. But wasn’t that one of the reasons for the defeat in 2015? Why cannot you think of a future without the Rajapaksas ?

A: There is no Rajapaksa family. There will be only one Rajapaksa, that is Mahinda Rajapaksa. Other than that, we have no intention to bring back any Rajapaksa family.

Q: The SLFP Ministers in the Government allege that the SLFP MPs in the JO organised the Pada Yatra to divide the SLFP. Is it true?

A: I categorically deny that allegation. We never want to divide the SLFP. But we are trying to keep the SLFPers with us. The SLFPers are with us because we are in the JO. Otherwise, they would have gone to the JVP or some other party.

Q: Are you ready to face any disciplinary action by the SLFP ?

A: Before we commenced the walk, we met President Maithripala Sirisena. He didn’t want to prevent us from going on the Pada Yatra. The President said, he has given us permission to criticise the Government if it resorts to anything bad for the country. So the SLFP hierarchy can’t take any disciplinary action against us.

Q: Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake has said, the first day of the Jana Satana Pada Yatra has incurred a cost of Rs.18 million as expenses. Is there any truth in this allegation?

A: We know the actual cost. Some of our bills are still pending. Actually, lots of people helped us. We didn’t spend millions on the Pada Yatra. For example, we never had to spend on food. We didn’t have lunch, we had only breakfast and dinner. All the decorations, etc.were done by the public. The printing of posters and T-shirts were by the participants themselves. We know who Ranjan Ramanayake is. He has mixed up acting in a movie and Parliament. He still thinks he is acting in a movie. He thinks he is in front of a camera and running around rose trees, firing a plastic gun. He should know the difference between the camera and Parliament.

Q: It is necessary to secure the support of at least 113 Parliamentarians to topple the Government. In this backdrop how does the JO topple the incumbent Government and form a new Government?

A: It is not a big issue. The classic example is the incumbent President. He didn’t openly say anything till he quit the Government. Actually, that was the secret behind his victory. Likewise, we also don’t have to disclose our plans and will show how we are going to get 113 MPs.