Many ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Government Parliamentarians are willing to support a possible no-confidence motion (NCM) against the Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, if he fails to curb the crime wave that has risen in the country, at least within a month, claimed Opposition MP Lalith Ellawala.
Ellawala, who was earlier a SLPP MP, and is now an Opposition MP representing the Freedom People's Congress led by MP Dullas Alahapperuma, recently warned of a NCM against Alles if the latter fails to take required measures to address the rising crime rate and crack down on underworld activities.
While speaking to The Daily Morning, Ellawala said that the decision to move a NCM against Alles had been taken following discussions with both Opposition and Government MPs. “We are giving him (Alles) one month's time to address these issues. If he cannot do so within that course of time, we will definitely move a NCM against him. There are Opposition as well as Government MPs who are willing to support it. I am confident that we will be able to get it passed.”
Referring to a statement made by Minister Alles that the Police would make sure that perpetrators of all forms of crimes are arrested, he opined that the responsibility of the Police is not to arrest suspects after a crime takes place, but to prevent such from occurring by taking remedial action. “I have never seen a time when this much crime took place before. More than 30 murders are reported per month. There are shootings everywhere. Not only those who have security threats but ordinary people are also afraid of going on the road as they might get shot accidentally,” he claimed.
When contacted by The Daily Morning to inquire about the warnings of a NCM against him, Alles said last week that Ellawala's statement itself had proven the latter's ignorance of drug and underworld related activities. “Underworld and drug-related activities cannot be brought to an end within a short period. If someone says that it can be done within a month, it displays nothing but that person's ignorance,” he noted.