Minister Arundika Fernando becomes independent

• Calls for unity between RW and SP   
• An unclean force would come to power   

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana 

While calling for unity among President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and others, State Minister Arundika Fernando announced in Parliament that he will function as an independent MP from today.   
“All parties including President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa should unite for the sake of the nation. This has to be done to prevent an unclean force from coming into power,” he said.

The State Minister said he is ready to talk with anyone to fulfill this objective  

“This unclean force is trying to create a vast destruction in the country,” he added. He said he refers to the NPP with the word unclean force. “This unclean force is being promoted over social media where an effort is being made to create a certain mindset by highlighting the governments which ruled this country for 70 years have failed,”  he said.   

The state minister said disruption has to be avoided. “Unrest in 1971 also destroyed the youth. It happened in 1989 as well as more than 60,000 youth being killed during the insurrection. Youth were killed in scores in the Northern conflict as well. Youth therefore has become victims of destroyers from time to time. We also saw destruction in 2022 as well. There was mass destruction including burning of houses belonging to MPs. Our country cannot afford to see this being repeated,” he said.   

State Minister Fernando recalled that he had organised an election rally for incumbent President Ranil Wickremeisnghe at Chilaw last week. He also said President Wickremesinghe had played a role in stabilising the nation.   

“ I joined politics with the influence of my father, the late Godfrey Fernando. I am a person who has been engaged in a profession. I have worked in the aviation sector. I have done what I could for the people of the North Western province   

State Minister Fernando is the second MP to call for unity between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa as former MP Talatha Athukorala also called for the same during her final speech in Parliament.