The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is to discuss the recent statement made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding their course of action during the “Aragalaya” (people's struggle) protest movement, and former BASL President, President's Counsel (PC) Saliya Pieris, in the coming days, The Daily Morning learns.

Responding to allegations levelled at him by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran PC, the President claimed in Parliament last week that then BASL President Pieris had ambitions to be the Prime Minister during the Aragalaya period.

Speaking to The Daily Morning on the matter yesterday (26), BASL President attorney Kaushalya Navaratne said that the President's statement had drawn their attention. He also said that they would discuss the possible action that could be taken regarding it in the coming days.

Refuting Sumanthiran’s claims that he had taken over the post of Premier under former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after violating a proposition made by the BASL, Wickremesinghe said that he had neither met with BASL members, nor signed any “document” compiled by the legal body. He went on to claim that the BASL was under the impression that Pieris would be given the premiership, adding that the incidents on 9 May 2022 (a reference to the attack carried out by a group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna supporters on two protest encampments, and the subsequent tense situations around the country) changed the course of events.

In a statement published on his Facebook account, Pieris had refuted Wickremesinghe's claims. “Unfortunately, Wickremesinghe utters these lies under cover of immunity in Parliament where he cannot be replied to. I am compelled to say that unlike politicians of his ilk, I have never placed personal ambitions above the needs of the country. I have never sacrificed my principles for personal gain or for the greed of office,” the statement read.