Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said yesterday that maximum punishment will meted out to all those who burnt down and destroyed houses and properties in the name of the “Aragalaya”.
The Minister also said it is a twist of fate that the JVP which threatened to cut off the hands of the people who voted in the election is now struggling to demand votes.
He also said that holding elections as a Government is problematic even if his party is ready for elections at any moment.
Minister Ranatunga was speaking while participating at a political meeting held under the theme “Janaduka Nivana Thana Methena” at his residence in Udugampola, Gampaha yesterday. “We never deserted the people even though we were threatened with death. There were preparations to assassinate former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at President House. There was also a plan to kill me at the Udugampola junction. The plan was initiated with the assassination of MP Amarakirthi Athukorala at Nittambuwa. However, we were saved from death. The people who harassed our party members should be punished,” the Minister said.
“Why was that done to the Gampaha district?. We launched a strong programme to strengthen the Pohottuwa in Gampaha. We accepted all challenges and we faced them. The Gampaha District was able to emerge victorious by obtaining the highest number of votes at the last Presidential election, Parliamentary election and Local Government elections. That is why our opponents wanted to undermine the Gampaha District.