'Mahinda Chintana' based on indigenous principles - JVP
 

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The JVP yesterday announced that 'Mahinda Chintana' manifesto introduced by UPFA Presidential candidate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse is entirely based on indigenous principles through which the people expect the future leadership to take the country forward from its present situation.

JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Wimal Weerawansa told a media briefing that UNP Presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe who has failed to criticise Mahinda Chintana says the manifesto contains the policies of Mahinda while UNP Deputy General Secretary Tissa Attanayake says Mahinda Chintana has ignored SLFP policies.

"Mahinda Chintana is an agreement reached upon by Premier Rajapakse with over 20 political parties which have pledged their fullest support to him at the forthcoming Presidential Election.

Therefore, the manifesto does not represent the 100 per cent sole views of one political party. The manifesto contains a basic view and ideas agreed upon by all political parties," he said.

He said the UNP attempts to highlight that Mahinda Chintana is just only an idea of Rajapakse and not an election manifesto. Then Ranil Wickremesinghe's manifesto can also be introduced just only as an agenda, not as election manifesto. However, Mahinda Chintana has clearly mentioned how Rajapakse is going to rule the country once he becomes the President. If the people vote for a Presidential candidate, first they should know about his vision.

Weerawansa said the manifesto has clearly outlined Rajapakse's views on the ethnic issue. It has stated that negotiations will be resumed after reaching an agreement with all political parties in the democratic mainstream while agreeing to reach a final solution within a limited time frame.

"Mahinda Chintana is a manifesto introduced by a Presidential candidate who is expected to come to power directly expressing his view on how he is going to solve the ethnic issue. Every community including the Muslims in the East as well as the Tamils who are not ready to surrender to the LTTE have accepted the Premier's view," he said.

Ranil Wickremesinghe's manifesto has shown his double standards. One time he says he is going to unite the country while in the presence of the Tamil community he says that he is going to devolve power. Mahinda Chintana has not been constrained by such double standard statements. Its vision is entirely based on our identity and indigenous policies, he said.

Weerawansa also said the UNP Deputy General Secretary Tissa Attanayake was apparently engaged in a struggle to safeguard SLFP policies. But the UNP has an alien vision and policies.

"As the Prime Minister, people gave a mandate to Ranil Wickremesinghe to govern the country in 2001. If Wickremesinghe had a honest intention, he would have reached an agreement with the SLFP to govern the country.

What the UNP did was to assault over 3,000 SLFP supporters while dismissing thousands of SLFP supporters from their jobs. If Wickremesinghe had even a little concern about SLFP policies he should have shown the Ceasefire agreement to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga before he signed it.

There is no greater hypocrisy than the UNP shedding crocodile tears for SLFP policies," he said. He said the 2006 budget will provide allocations to implement the policies included in Mahinda Chintana. Presenting the budget in November every year is a responsibility of the Government.

Therefore it has nothing to do with the Presidential Election in November, he added.