Sri Lanka opposition leader Sajith Premadasa has vowed to take legal action against people that “robbed” the country.
Speaking at a public rally in Minuwangoda on Sunday December 03, Premadasa said government MPs who harassed him in parliament will not be able to undo his resolve to bring to book those that brought Sri Lanka to financial ruin.
“As you must have seen, when the court verdict on these people who violated human rights of this country was being discussed in parliament, those inside parliament that supported the family rule and also raised their hand for the incumbent president came forward to challenge me,” said Premadasa.
The leader of the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was alluding to an incident involving government MP Sanath Nishantha who along with a number of his colleagues had surrounded Premadasa when he was raising a question pertaining to a recent Supreme Court verdict holding members of the Rajapaksa family responsible for the financial crisis.
“They even grabbed the question I had in my hand,” said Premadasa, referring to his documents being forcibly taken away by one MP.
MP Nishantha, who represents the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was suspended from parliament for two weeks following the incident.
“They may grab my documents. They may manage to take everything I own. They may even take my life. But no matter what they take from me, no one will be able to take away my determination to bring the rogue family that robbed this country to book,” said Premadasa.
Former president Rajapaksa has said he does not accept the apex court’s verdict holding him, two of his brothers and officials affiliated with their administration responsible for the 2022 currency crisis.
I do not accept it. I must state that clearly. There will be an opportunity to make a statement in defence. We will answer it then,” he said on November 15, asked by reporters in Kandy for his thoughts on the verdict.