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While the state owned major television station, the Rupavahini announced in its news bulletin that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had obtained the sanction of his cabinet to dissolve the government and go to the country for a general election his Leader of the House W.J.M. Lokubandara denied such a decision was taken by the cabinet. Commentaries on why the Rupavahini, heavily controlled by the government in its news programs broadcast the news and why Cabinet Minister Lokubandara denied such a decision was taken were not available immediately. But it had been seen before Lokubandara issuing statements on very important issues just to mislead public opinion. One instance was when in a series of meeting to the protesting Buddhist monks he repeatedly assured that the proscription of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam would never take place. But contradicting his public statements the government lifted the proscription of the terrorist group. There is no tradition among Sri Lanka politicians to resign for lying in public. The state owned Rupavahini in a headline news said that since the Supreme Court has handed over the verdict of the courts to hold a referendum to get the sanction for the 19th amendment proposed by the government to curtail powers of the President the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had decided instead to go to a General Election and had obtained the sanction of his cabinet to do so. Lokubandara said such a move was not necessary since even without the 19th amendment the government could prevent the parliament being dissolved by presenting an impeachment against the President in the parliament. He also said the necessary votes for such an impeachment were available to the government. He also alleged that her actions and statements for such a move were qualifying the President for an impeachment. Lokubandara also said government also could present another constitutional amendment to do away with the office of the executive President and if that happened even the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna could not oppose that move. But he did not mention such major constitutional amendment would also need a referendum. Repeatedly asked by a BBC Sinhala program Sandeshaya interviewer whether he was ready to contradict the Rupavahini news the minister dodged the question and only said he did not think there was any reason to broadcast such a news. The Tamil Net , the official news website of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam meanwhile reported that the Ranil Wickremesinghe government was in a terminal crisis since the boycott of nine Muslim members of Parliament against the government. Though the idea of dissolving the parliament to go to a general election had been expressed by the ruling UNP before, the constitutional power for such action is in the hands of the President of the country, Chandrika Bandaranaike. The president had also assured the Speaker of the House, Joseph Michael Perera in a letter sent to him that she would not dissolve the parliament as long as the government maintained a majority in the parliament. Political observers believe that the People’s Alliance would attempt to form a government if the Ranil Wickremesinghe government collapsed. (EOM) (02/10/17 go2lanka.com) |