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| Saturday, 31 July 2004 |
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| Anura says hidden hand behind Karuna story by Ranil Wijayapala Tourism, Industry and Investment Promotion Minister Anura Bandaranaike yesterday accused Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe of being the hidden hand behind the publishing of 'diabolical lies' linking his name with breakaway LTTE leader Karuna in newspapers loyal to him. Addressing a media conference yesterday in Colombo, the Minister said there were sufficient doubts as to whether this was done with an ulterior motive on the part of the Opposition Leader to make him (Bandaranaike) a target of the LTTE through the publication of such false news reports in UNP sponsored newspapers. Categorically denying the news reports based on a statement made by TNA MP in Parliament that he had accompanied Karuna to Singapore, Minister Bandaranaike said it was only one newspaper owned by Wickremesinghe's uncle which highlighted the news in banner headlines possibly with the same ulterior motive. "I had never met or spoken to this so-called Karuna and I never expect to meet him either in my life. I had never in my whole life accompanied an unknown person to any place in the world. So why should I accompany Karuna to Singapore ?", the Minister added. He said anyone can clarify the facts and the names of people he had accompanied on that flight after talking to the Airport authorities. Minister Bandaranaike said Wickremesinghe had never used those newspapers before to sling mud at him. "In my opinion Wickremesinghe has resorted to this type of action as he had been disturbed by the statement I had made in Parliament criticising his weak leadership," he said. "None of other newspapers carried this false statement by that TNA MP," the Minister said. Minister Bandaranaike also said it had been proved beyond doubt that the statement made by that MP did not originate from the TNA as senior members of that party had not made any comment on this issue. The Minister said he had his doubts whether the UNP leadership was instrumental in publishing this highly explosive and diabolical statement in pro-UNP publications to put his life in danger as no one can predict the mind of Prabhakaran at a time the LTTE was sending suicide bombers to kill Minister Douglas Devananda and other incidents were taking place. "We can't predict the mind of Prabhakaran. He will take revenge against anyone who go against him", the Minister added. Minister Bandaranaike said he would make a statement in Parliament at its next session in this regard. |
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