In a startling revelation, Dr Ramesh Pathirana told Parliament yesterday that the Inspector General of Police and Secretary Ministry of Law and Order were responsible for the recent mayhem at the Galle Face.
C.D Wickremeratne and Jagath Alwis are the current IGP and the Secretary of Law and Order.
At the instigation of some servile politicians, unruly crowds took to the streets from the Temple Trees to attack the “Gota-Go-Gama.”
I also brought people from Galle to bid farewell to the Prime Minister who was relinquishing his duties, Mr Pathirana said.
“When I saw a sizeable crowd, around ten per cent of the people who gathered there took to the Galle road, I telephoned DIG Deshabandu Tennekoon, who assured me that nothing untoward would happen since they had secured the Gota-Go-Gama.
From the temple Trees, I moved to the office of the President for a meeting. As I reached the President’s office- former Parliamentarian Ashu Marasinghe called me and said to take immediate action to stop the people from walking towards the Gota-Go-Gama, which otherwise would lead to a catastrophe. Since I was with the President, I immediately informed him. The President immediately called the Senior DIG Western Province and told him to aver imminent clashes. DIG Tennekoon informed the President that he was under instructions from the IGP and the Secretary of Law and Order to allow the mobs free access to the Galle Face Green, the location of the Gota -Go-Gama.
The President said as the President, I order you to stop this mayhem, and it was only after the President told him in no uncertain words the Police took action.”
Mr Pathirana also said that his house was the first to come under attack. He also said that later it came to light that so many other places have also come under attack.
” I have no vengeance against anybody. I was hurt at the outset since it was our ancestral home but absorbed it by looking at the losses others suffered in the Galle District.
” We must admit our fault the people were going through untold hardship without the essentials, and they have directed their anger towards us.”
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