Dilan: Chandrika insults herself

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) Media Spokesman Dilan Perera expressing displeasure over the recent statement by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said the former President by resorting to such remarks has insulted herself.

“The former President has insulted the SLFP which was formed by her father, late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. She has also insulted her mother, late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike,” he said, pointing out that it was the UNP, which imprisoned the former President’s husband Vijaya Kumaratunga and 40 others branding them as ‘Naxalites’, and that the former President had once openly said it was Ranil Wickremesinghe who deprived her son of admission to Royal College.

Responding to a question raised by a journalist at yesterday’s UPFA media briefing, about Kumaratunga’s statement, Perera said the controversial statements by the former President would have direct consequences on the SLFP and its incumbent leader President Maithripala Sirisena, not former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Kumaratunga on August 05, making a special statement urged the nation to defeat elements trying to reverse the ‘January 08’ mandate. She also strongly criticised the conduct of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“The few people who love former President Kumaratunga will also distance themselves from her due to such damaging statements. As long as she speaks against the UPFA, its vote base would further strengthen. Today she has forgotten the fact that Maithripala Sirisena, whom she supported to bring to power is the present leader of the SLFP. She should also place her confidence in President Sirisena,” he said.

Claiming the UNP cannot mislead the public, despite newspaper and television advertisements, he said it was very clear how a huge amount of money came into the hands of the UNP.

“People know these are funds gained from the Treasury Bond and the central highway robberies,” he said warning the UNP to keep in mind that even though SLFP leader S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was killed, late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s civic rights were deprived and over 40 prominent SLFPers were imprisoned as Naxalites, they could not destroy our party.