• Steps taken to combat the Covid pandemic from the beginning of the third wave were weak

By Ajith Siriwardana 

The Government has given up its effort in combating the Covid pandemic where its intervention after the third wave was very poor and contradictory, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday.   

He told a news conference that steps taken to combat the Covid pandemic from the beginning of the third wave were weak and new Covid variants that emerged from anywhere in the world emerged in Sri Lanka even before two weeks.  

“The government has given up its effort on Covid control and seems to have focused on other matters,” he said.  
Referring to the moves to arrest protesting farmers and those leading the protests such as all Island Govi Jana Federation National organiser Namal Karunaratne and Samantha Vidyaratne. Mr. Dissanayake said farmers’ struggle for their issues could not be suppressed by arresting protesting people and added that the only alternative is to resolve the issues of farmers.   

He said all the people who were engaged in agricultural activities had faced serious issues due to the ban on chemical fertiliser and other chemicals. “Reasonable demands of the people should be granted. It is unacceptable to suppress and intimidate people who are protesting for reasonable demands. We urge the government to withdraw any moves to arrest farmers and those leading the protest,” he said. 

• Mr. Dissanayake said farmers’ struggle for their issues could not be suppressed by arresting protesting people