UNP’s wild behaviour during Gnanakone expose sign of guilt - Rajitha

Manjula Fernando and Nadira Gunatilake

COLOMBO: UNP democratic group member Minister Rajitha Senaratne yesterday said the UNP MPs’ wild behaviour in Parliament during Minister Karu Jayasuriya’s ‘Gnanakone expose’, bared the party’s downright guilt in the affair.

“Neither the UNP nor the name of the Opposition Leader was mentioned in that statement. But the UNP MPs made a big fuss throughout his entire speech, leaving us to wonder as to why they got so disturbed.”

Senaratne said Gnanakone claimed the SLFP M-group and the UNP was firmly behind his plan to topple the Government and they needed 20 MPs from the Government side.

Jayasuriya in a special statement in Parliament on Tuesday revealed the Australian based Tamil businessman Charles Gnanakone’s attempt to bribe two MPs from the UNP rebel group with an offer of US $ 1 million each to cross over to the Opposition.

The statement made by the former UNP Deputy Leader after raising a privilege matter provoked heavy barrage by the UNP MPs who shouted and made noises right throughout the speech.

“We are in the process of investigating who else have been approached by this businessman. Once known, it will all be exposed.” The minister said they were not aware how many more had been approached by Gnanakone but as soon as they find out the two MPs will reveal the conspiracy before the media shortly.

“We want the public to be aware of what is going on,” he said of their plan to expose the whole Gnanakone deal before the media.

“Our democratic group leader Karu Jayasuriya is very cautious of what he says. He will never opt to make any public statement unless he is 100 per cent sure of the facts.”

The Minister alleged Gnanakone’s brother who owns a global Shipping company was the LTTE’s Los Angeles leader. LTTE Leader Prabhakaran’s brother is working for this company.

In the face of the crushing defeat the LTTE has faced in the East, the man has again come forward to save the Tigers from being completely wiped out to help a pro LTTE ruler to come to power, he said.

“There is the right to topple a Government. But it should not be the decision of some LTTE agents and INGO proxies. It is us who should decide that. It should come through Parliament,” the Minister said.