Infamous referendum denied people's franchise - Deputy Minister

by L. B. Wijayasiri in Kandy

"People were denied of their franchise by extending the Parliament's life by another seven year term through an infamous referendum in 1984 by the UNP in which Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was a Cabinet Minister," said Power and Energy, Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Deputy Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

He made these observations at a series of public receptions held in the Nawalapitiya Constituency on his appointment as the Deputy Minister of Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation. "The SLFP led by Bandaranaikes preserved and practised democratic norms but the UNP of Ranil Wickremesinghe snatched the people's voting rights.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse a close associate of Bandaranaikes has played a key role in protecting people's rights. He will definetly win the Presidential Election, he said.

It was President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who sought the Supreme Court's ruling over the date of holding Presidential Election.

Therefore, the credit of protecting people's voting rights should go to her and not to the UNP or Ranil Wickremesinghe in particular.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse had the support of patriotic people of all parts of the country irrespective of their ethnical, religious, and political differences. He emerged from the rural community as was inherited with national thinking unlike the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who is inherited with Western Culture, thinking and way of living he said.

Mahinda Rajapakse will gain large mandate at the forthcoming Presidential Election.

Rajapakse family of Giruwapattuwa had worked hand in hand with Bandaranaikes to preserve the country's territorial intergrity, people's democratic rights, cultural heritage.

Mahinda Rajapakse and Anura Bandaranaike deserved the victory, Deputy Minister Aluthgamage added.