Ex-President says govt harasses Rajapaksas out of fear

KANDY – Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said in Kandy that the government is scared of the Rajapaksas and they were harassed due to that fear.

Responding to media at the Malwatte Maha Vihare last Friday (25) afternoon former President said that the home of Rajapaksa family were searched for valuables, Rajapaksas were taken to courts and questioned by police and all that was owing to the fear that the government had.

When asked for his comments on a recent statement by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe saying that journalists would have to put the noose round their neck if Rajapaksas came to power again, he said that if the Yahapalana government remained in office further not only the journalists but the entire country would have to put the noose round the necks.

Rajapaksa said that the 16 ministers who gave up the ministry portfolios were backing the Joint Opposition (aJO).

The government was in utter desperation. The utterances of those of the government before the media were not worth five cents, Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The former President responded to the media after calling on the most venerable Mahanayake Thera of Malwatte and attending the presenting of the Act of Appointment to Venerable Talamporuwe Indasiri Thera as the Chief Adikarana Sanghanayake of Dolosrata inclusive of Ruhunu Magampattwa, by the Mahanayake Thera.