BY SHAAHIDAH RIZA
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who nurtured the LTTE in the latter stages of the war, has the audacity to accuse the UNP Government of doing the same, said the deputy leader of the UNP, and Minister of Housing and Samurdhi Sajith Premadasa.
Addressing a crowd at Agunukolapelessa, Hambantota at a campaign meeting, he also said all the subsequent governments since the inception of the LTTE terrorism have done their utmost to contain their brutal activities.
“The former President accused the UNP of nurturing the LTTE. He has forgotten that even my father and many other prominent leaders of the country were killed in the most brutal fashion by the LTTE. During the past 20 years, a large part of public funds and resources which could have been used to develop the country were used to contain the LTTE.
During the maiden UPFA rally the former President said the LTTE killed 600 police officers in the East, due to UNP interference and support of the LTTE. Rajapaksa is trying to mislead the public with lies. We stood by the families of the slain as we are doing now,” Premadasa said.
He further challenged Rajapaksa to answer a few questions of his own. “The chief of the LTTE battalion that killed the 600 police officers, Karuna Amman and the other prominent LTTE chief Pillayan were decorated by Rajapaksa and were given an entry into mainstream politics.
He also made Amman a deputy minister and a deputy chairman of the SLFP. He also allowed him to contest in the Eastern Provincial Elections and also made him the Chief Minister there. Who allowed such a political marriage to take place? What about the widows and families which the 600 slain police officers left behind? Is this the tribute Rajapaksa makes for the services these families rendered?”