- Says the party continues to support the collective effort
- Sajith visits RW in hospital
The main parliamentary Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) stated that it would hold a meeting today (25) to discuss extending further support to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is currently in remand custody, adding that it would also continue to be part of the joint efforts on the matter.
Several opposition parties and groups gathered in Colombo yesterday (24) to condemn the arrest of Wickremesinghe, calling it “undemocratic” and a “petty act of political vengeance”. They also questioned why the State resisted bail requests made by the former President.
However, neither Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa nor SJB General Secretary and Parliamentarian Ranjith Maddumabandara took part in the press conference held at a hotel in Colombo last morning.
The Daily Morning asked whether the SJB would also join the collective efforts announced by the other parties and groups.
In response, Premadasa said that he visited Wickremesinghe at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) in Colombo at the time of the event, and responded: “We are having a meeting on this tomorrow (25). We are united with concerted efforts.”
SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara, meanwhile, told The Daily Morning: “We will definitely be with the collective of Opposition parties and groups on this matter. We will work with them and protest against Wickremesinghe’s arrest.”
The joint media briefing yesterday was attended by former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa, National Democratic Front MP Ravi Karunanayake, United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Thalatha Atukorale, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, and former MPs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Tiran Alles, Mahinda Amaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, and Harin Fernando, among others. A statement from former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was read out by Atukorale.
A media briefing, jointly organised by youth representatives of Opposition political parties to voice their opinions on Wickremesinghe’s arrest, is scheduled to be held today at his office at Flower Road, Colombo 07.