Prasanna Ranatunga alleges SJB and NPP tried to prevent getting IMF assistance

Both Samagi Jana Balawegaya ( SJB) and National People's Power ( NPP) tried to prevent Sri Lanka from obtaining IMF assistance through foreign diplomatic offices on the island, a government minister alleged.

" Leaders of NPP and SJB met heads of foreign diplomatic heads in this country and informed them to prevent Sri Lanka from obtaining IMF assistance. However, the diplomatic heads turned these requests down," Minister of Urban Development and Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga said during the opening of a water project in Gampaha District during the weekend.

" Heads of diplomatic missions have informed leaders of SJB and NPP that they are not willing to interfere in local politics," the minister added.

"Some political parties grabbed control of the aragalaya to fulfill their political agendas. This is why a selected group of MPs were attacked during the aragalaya. All 225 MPs would have been attacked if the people who were affected by the economic crisis controlled the aragalaya, " he also said. (Yohan Perera)