Former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara stated that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took over the country during its bankruptcy, restored the country’s reserves to six and a half billion dollars, and this government is still distributing the petrol that was imported during Ranil’s tenure.
He mentioned that the people of Sri Lanka have been deceived by political liars, but the biggest deception in history occurred during the last presidential election. Members of the NPP have publicly admitted to lying about bringing money from Uganda to secure the victory of the current president.
He also warned that a difficult period will come in three months and that Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing to help the people during that time.
Addressing a rally held in Galle yesterday, the former minister further said:
“When you look back, you can see that the people of Sri Lanka are always deceived by politics. Some time ago, they were fooled by promises of bringing rice from the moon. They were fooled by promises of eight seeds. Someone even deceived people with bread at 3:50. When Gotabaya Rajapaksa was brought in, we thought a hero was coming. Yes, we were deceived, weren’t we? But if Mahinda comes, that won’t happen.
We were also deceived by the ‘Dhamnika Peni.’ When someone claimed to have brought a casket from the Kelani River, we took the lotus bud. We were also fooled when Cobra and the casket. When they said ‘ Wadha kottu,’ we were tricked by that too. They even told us not to buy underwear from Muslim shops, and we got caught up in that. What was said about Dr. Shafi . It was claimed that he was tying fallopian tubes when delivering babies. We fell for that too.
What happened was that people kept getting deceived. The pyramid schemers were caught. Everyone was caught. And finally, when they said they were bringing money from Uganda, people were fooled again. They believed when it was claimed that ministers would have 150 rupees from a liter of fuel in their pockets. We, as a nation, should be ashamed of the recent deceptions. In the end, we were deceived by Anura Kumara, who lied so much. This is the biggest deception in the history of the Sri Lankan people. No matter how much we warn them, people keep falling for these lies.
Mahinda Rajapaksa is the leader who ended the war in this country. He developed massive infrastructure projects, building highways that strengthened the nation. When Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name shone in the country, a group called ”Viyath maga” came and ruined not only Gotabaya but also Namal and Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Rajapaksas were reduced to 2.5% of the vote.
But when the parliamentarians started working that day, we opposed it. We spoke out about what was happening in the country. I was the first to go to the streets to chase away Gotabaya. I was the first to shout ”Gota Go Home.” Hareen said the ”Sir failed”, and Hareen said the ”president was crazy.”
When the country was collapsing, we were the ones on the streets speaking out against it. We exposed that the Easter attacks were not the work of Muslims but extremists, and we defended the Muslim community. Not only that, we led the ‘Gota go Home’ march in Colombo. At a time when not even a crow would fly near the President’s Office, when the whole country feared Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sajith Premadasa’s legs shook when it was time to march.
When other leaders said that the Rajapaksas would not give up easily and might shoot us, Hareen and I led two marches from opposite sides. When asked to march to the Lake House, I led the way to the President’s office and held the first protest. But later, after we had paved the way, Sajith couldn’t maintain the momentum.
That day, after we had fought, the JVP members came in and claimed the credit. That’s because Sajith couldn’t continue the fight. In the end, Anura Kumara grabbed the results of our struggle. Sajith Premadasa, instead of acting as the opposition leader, drove the bus. The opposition won’t take responsibility unless they go to schools to speak Japanese! Because of this, Anura Kumara took the opposition’s power and became the president.
We were able to place Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Prime Minister’s chair by fighting in parliament when necessary. Vajira Abeywardena said it first a year and a half ago. I think the best astrologer in Sri Lankat is not Mapalagama Wimalaratne. But the best political astrologer is Vajira Abeywardena. He paved the way for Ranil Wickremesinghe to become Prime Minister. Vajira, who knows how to play the game well, succeeded after frequent discussions with us. When Ranil became Prime Minister, Harin and I were the first to take oaths, and together we formed Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government.”
After that, when the presidential contest to make Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe president took place in Parliament, Mr. Vajira asked me to propose Ranil Wickremesinghe’s name. On that day, the Prime Minister was proposed as a friend of the senior classmate. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe became President by securing 134 votes in Parliament, uniting the strength of all the members of the Peoples allaince
We know that the United National Party (UNP) will be given the strength it needs when required. Also, when the 51-day conspiracy, which removed Ranil Wickremesinghe from the Prime Ministership by former President Maithripala Sirisena and Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa were involved .I left the ministry and took to the streets. I stood with the UNP to restore Ranil’s Prime Ministership and end the 51-day conspiracy.
This is the best beginning to rebuild the UNP in this country, to re-strengthen it, and to restore its old glory. This is where we should start. Minister Ramesh and Lasantha Wijenayake are here today to give us strength. I remind you that we need to start from the ground level and take the United National Party forward with victory in this election. Let’s begin here and move forward. The chairman of the party is ready to travel across the country and do the necessary work. We need to join hands and work together to build the party from this point onward.
Once that “Ugandan princess” said that she brought hidden money from Uganda. But now, she says that no hidden money to bring . The vehicle displays are over. The egg displays are over. The people who voted feel a bit ashamed today. Those who cast their votes now wonder, “What happened?” The youth voted for Mr. Gotabaya, felt ashamed hearing them “Biyo Biyo.” Just two years after the election . Out of that shame, they angrily voted in front of the NPP. People were just fed up. Even now, some have begun to feel a little ashamed.
But the NPP’s “laundry brothers” are still washing the dirty cloths. Now they say, “Look at her honesty. How admirable it is that she admitted to lying to win the election, and how disciplined she is.” For the first time in Sri Lankan history, they have officially admitted to lying to win an election. But if they admitted to all the lies they’ve told, people would chase them away from tail of ray fish. That is the truth.
However, we will not let the country fall. When the country was collapsing, when people were dying in oil and gas queues, when children were running out of medicine, Sajith, who felt no sense of how people’s suffering, said the country couldn’t be saved. Nalin Hewage of Galle, who said that J.V.P will never accept a Insolvent country, also turned us down. They said they couldn’t accept the responsibility . It was at that moment that Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped forward. As a leader who loves and has compassion for the people, he took on the responsibility of this country.
We stepped forward even though we knew there would be no political gain, and that we could even lose our lives. When the JVP members killed my father I was only twelve years old . Now my own child is eleven. I’m afraid that my child could lose his father too. But we accepted the challenge and wore the crown of thorns. We took on a suicide mission, knowing the risks to our lives and our political careers.
The work we started was completed by bringing $13.5 billion into the country. We bought fuel and gas for several months. We built up $6.5 billion in reserves. They’re still using the old petrol which brought by Ranil’s government . But remember, in three or four months, difficult times will come again. At that time, the country cannot be allowed to fall once again. People need protection. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe is waiting on standby to help when needed, until he is called back to work. Vajira Abeywardena is also waiting to serve when required. Manusha Nanayakkara, Ramesh Pathirana, and the twelve others on this list should have as many allies as possible inside Parliament, ready to act when the time comes.”