Constitution making: MPs mustn’t support SC report: Elle Gunawansa Thera
Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera yesterday asked the government not to deceive the people with regard to the Steering Committee (SC) report and urged the MPs to avoid supporting it when presented in Parliament.
The interim report is to be debated in Parliament on October 30, 31 and November 1.
The monk told a news conference organised by the ‘Yuthukama’ Forum that MPs especially those from the two factions of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) should not support the interim report.
“By all means, the MPs can keep the vehicles and all privileges they enjoy but please don’t support this sin. I will visit constituencies represented by the MPs and make people aware of the dangers if this report is approved,” he said.
The monk said he had no faith in any political party and said politics had dragged the country to an abyss and it was clergy and the laity who were maintaining this country.
He said neither the Prime Minister nor anyone else had the right to question the statement made by the Karaka Sangha Sabha.
“We don’t ask whether the Premier or the Ministers whether they were there when Cabinet decisions are made,” the Thera said.
With regard to the proposal to abolish the executive presidency, the Thera said the 13th Amendment to the Constitution should be abolished before pruning the powers of the presidency.
Former Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Secretary Sarath Wijesinghe said the 13A was forced on us by outsiders.
“The current Constitution too has federalist features. It’s unitary character has been preserved because of the powers of the executive presidency. The US and India can afford to maintain a federal system because those countries are enormous but not small like ours,” he said and added that the questions asked by the BASL on the constitutional-making process were compiled legally.
“If anyone has quarries or doubts about the legality of the way the questions were asked, they can attend the upcoming BASL conference today and see for themselves,” Mr. Wijesinghe said.
Former Ruhuna University Vice-Chancellor Susirith Mendis said a constitutional draft had already been prepared and the proposed three-day debate on the interim report was an eyewash.
He said the new Constitution was a result of an international conspiracy and the constitutional process had become a play of words.
Yuthukama Forum Head Gevindu Kumaratunga said there was no need to ‘bomb’ Parliament because the committee report itself would become a bomb if it was passed. “We urge the government to throw this report into the Diyawannawa,” he said.
(Source: Daily Mirror – By Lahiru Pothmulla)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka and United States discuss Economic Support and Reforms April 19, 2024
- Israeli missile strikes Iran amid escalating Middle East tensions April 19, 2024
- President says he will build a Sri Lanka that the youth aspire to April 19, 2024
- NPP presents 7-point pledge on Easter Sunday Attack to Cardinal Ranjith April 18, 2024
- Dialog Axiata to acquire Bharti Airtel’s telecom operations in Sri Lanka April 18, 2024
Well the Yahapalanaya Government and the supporters of New Constitution says there are only discussions and Constitution has not been approved yet! And nothing to fear. Well this is music to fools. Remember, in a wedding, bride get a bridle dress, bouquet, lipstick & make up. Then perfumes (this is what YP & its supporters doing now). But after marrying and gone to honeymoon……nothing can be reversed. Things gone are gone. Proposed constitution driven by foreign powers are something like this. When it gets debated and approved in the parliament you can’t reverse it. If the folks in Sri Lanka do not like the constitution they have to protest now without listening to lullaby of the YP government!
If I had the Funds I would have filed a FR petition in Supreme under 126(5) which stipulates that a petition that is filed in the supreme court should be completed within 2 months of filing the petition, stating that the Indo Sri Lanka Agreement was forced down our throats by India which we Sri Lankans can never forget or forgive and it should be abolished as India did not fulfill the main part of the bargain of disarming the LTTE which has cost over a 100000 Sri Lankan Lives and several billion US $ loss financially to our country those responsible TNA, India and LTTE fronts in several foreign countries
Agree with comments by Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera who has ‘urged the MPs to avoid supporting it when presented in Parliament.’
He further went to say ‘By all means, the MPs can keep the vehicles and all privileges they enjoy but please don’t support this sin’.
That’s brilliant. The voters of this country do not wish to be ruled with a Constitution approved by a pack of CLOWNS in the CIRCUS called Parliament.
The Party leaders (UNP, SLFP, SLPP, JVP, TNA etc) who are responsible for conducting the CIRCUS with the assistance of the bunch of CLOWNS are responsible for the stupidities being forced down the throats on voters.
New constitution was never in the manifesto of Yaha Palanaya. It is uderstood that after raising their hands in favour of this Constitution the MPs can’t go to their constituencies and face the voters. In fact their families and relatives can be in a precarious situation. That is why the YP wants to hang into power till 2025! If the proposed Constitution is so good why the YP government can’t go for a referendum and get a mandate?