Govt. is thinking every Sri Lankan is an ‘April fool’ every day- UNP

(April 01, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Speaking to the media today (1st Apr), at the UNP media unit , UNP M.P. Gayantha Karunatileke , said, the Govt. must be hoping that every day will be an April fool’s day , like today , so that it can fool all the Sri Lankans all the time. After a gazette notification earlier withdrawing many rights and privileges of the Govt. servants , the Ministers who realized that the postal voting for the forthcoming elections is beginning tomorrow have now started contradicting the notice stating that the Govt. has not decided on the withdrawals yet. This is clearly to fool the postal voters of the Govt. sector into voting for the Govt.

The Govt. which basks in the glory of the victories of the Forces achieved by their blood and sweat , and uses only one word ‘war’ to explain and justify all the untold miseries it has wrought on the country and the masses through its bungling of financial and every other sector , is still continuing to pay a compensation of only Rs. 100,000/- to the dead and maimed soldiers ,which amount UNP introduced when the cost of living and market prices of goods were very low. At that time , a motor bike which was price marked at Rs. 15, 000/- is now Rs. 175,000/-. By that token , the amount of Rs. one lakh is not realistic in the present context , he exclaimed. The UNP has demanded that the Govt. pays a compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs to them instead of the present meager one lakh . If the Govt. pays Rs.50 lakhs to an M.P. who is killed , why can’t it pay more to the soldiers who are sacrificing their lives ?, he asked. Similarly the Govt. must consider paying at least Rs. five lakhs to Govt. servants too who die in terrorist attacks , he asserted.

Though the Govt. is collecting a Nation building tax purportedly to make extra payments ( ‘bata’) to the police and those engaged in special tasks , those officers who were engaged for duty for the last provincial Council elections at Kandy for the President’s security have still not been paid. However, the Govt. is anxiously spending billions for conducting meaningless staggered manipulated elections , he lamented.

The Govt. which has systematically deprived the people of their freedom, democratic rights, happiness and their savings has also denied them of New Year celebrations. What is the happiness people have in order to celebrate ? , he asked.

-Sri Lanka Guardian