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SLFP Gen. Secy takes on Rajitha
The cabinet spokesman saying “will be hanged”, “should be hanged,” “everyone will be put in jail” at a press conference will give rise to serious questions in the minds of the people about the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary in a country like ours that is still evolving a mature political culture, SLFP General Secretary Professor Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa said yesterday.
He was referring to Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Seneratne who said “will be hanged,” “should be hanged” and “everyone will be put in jail” at the weekly cabinet press briefing on Wednesday.
“I did not see him say it. I did not watch news. But if Minister Rajitha Senaratne spoke like that … it is not suitable for him to speak in an emotional manner before journalists,” Prof. Piyadasa said in Kandy.
“My opinion is that the Cabinet spokesman should not get angry or emotional. He should engage with the journalists in an intelligent manner with facts,” he said.
“The President is implementing very advanced concepts to protect the independence of the judiciary. As an example it was after 30 years that a Chief Justice was appointed according to experience and seniority. At such a time if a minister says ‘will be hanged,’ ‘all will be put in jail’ … it will create a notion among the people whether a freedom of the wild ass is being created in the country again,” he said.
“During the recent past our Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary were going astray. The confidence of the public was shattered in them. Are we going back to such a time, is what would arise in the mind of the public,” he said.
“What I can say as the General Secretary of a responsible political party is that such statements could harm the President’s difficult effort to restore our shattered political culture. The judiciary is being restored again. There was a time when houses of the judges of the Supreme Court were stoned.
Persons were brought from the outside and appointed as Chief Justices. Now the judiciary is enjoying some freedom and independence. It should be enhanced further,” he said. (J.A.L. Jayasinghe)
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