25 November 2023 12:00 am Views - 786
President Ranil Wickremesinghe charged in Parliament yesterday that the Bar Association and its former Chief Saliya Peiris tried to secure power during last year’s Aragalaya.
“TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran said there was an agreement between parties and the Bar Association to abolish the Executive Presidency. However, I never signed such a document. I got a copy of this document and no party has signed it. We all remember what happened during the Aragalaya in 2022. The Prime Minister’s office was attacked, and then they tried to attack Parliament. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had also vacated power by this time.
I was asked to resign, and I said I would if there is someone else who would command the majority in Parliament. There was a non-politician who was waiting to come to Parliament and obtain the premiership. I even heard that this person had readied a suit. The then BASL President Saliya Peiris was trying to become the Prime Minister? My residence was burnt, thinking that I would run away. I was told that MP Eran Wickramaratne had questioned what would happen if current Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa does not accept the responsibility to form the government. Sajith did not accept the offer, and I was told to take over the government and the presidency. We can appoint a select committee to probe these matters,” the President said in a lighter vein.
Leader of Opposition Premadasa who responded later said President Wickremesinghe should learn about separation of powers. “The Executive, Legislature and judiciary has to function separately and checks and balances has to be maintained. President should learn this fact,” he said.