No one can topple govt - Prime Minister

BY Asela Kuruluwansa and Sanjaya Asela

NOBODY can topple the Government, as long as President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga holds the office of Executive Presidency and remains in the Government, said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.

The Prime Minister was addressing a rally in Kandy on Thursday organised by the SLFP to enlighten the public on the Tsunami Relief Council.

Since the United People's Freedom Alliance was formed the Government successfully fulfilled many election pledges including provision of employment to 42,000 unemployed graduates, he said.

"But reactionary forces perennially endeavoured to break up the alliance which they have achieved by now. The time has now come for us to unite to revert this situation," he said.

The Prime Minister said," the Sacred Tooth Relic is enshrined in Senkadagala. We are Buddhists who have pledged to protect the rights and freedom of every citizen irrespective of any religious or racial discrimination. This atmosphere of universal compassion will not permit a division of the country by any force.

None of us can run away from this responsibility. The tsunami affected the country not on any racial or religious, or political basis.

I urge the people of all denominations to unite to defeat the reactionary elements and usher a peaceful and prosperous nation equally shared by people in the North, South, East and West,".

Prime Minister Rajapakse also recited a Sinhala poem brought by a participant which read thus in English.

"Let us protect the Government built up by the poor. Do not sacrifice the country to the hands of the capitalist, let us strive to usher in the dawn of peace. The responsibility of protecting this Government belongs to none other than ourselves."