• We are carrying out a struggle within the government not to ruin the government politically but to protect it

Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday that ‘they’ had started struggling within the government, but it was an exercise aimed at upholding the mandate received from the people.   

Making his remarks at a function to mark the renovation of an agriculture reservoir in Avissawella, he said some people were questioning whether the government was riddled with internal squabbling.   

“We are carrying out a struggle within the government. That is not to ruin the government politically but to protect it. It is specially to protect the mandate of 6.9 million voters. We know certain aspects of the 20th Amendment were against the mandate. The 20th Amendment could not have been implemented in this form had there been any respect to keep the mandate. The rulers could not have even given thought to alienate the East Container Terminal to India had there been any concern for the mandate. That these things happen means the government is going against the mandate,” he said.   

He said they were critical of the government purely because of their love towards the government.   

 “It is our responsibility to put this government on track as pioneers of the political movement that brought it to power,” he said.