By Akitha Perera Courtesy The Island

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday took exception to media coverage given to a joint statement issued by Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters of the dominant Siyam Sect demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing constitution making process.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that some newspapers had misled the public by publishing reports that the Mahanayakes had opposed the new constitution.

Mahanayake of the Malwatte chapter was out of the country but the newspapers published his picture with a story stating that Mahanayakes were against the new constitution, the Prime Minister said, addressing a ceremony held at the Parliament committee room to accept three survey reports on the proposed new constitution by three independent organisations.

The prime minister asked the journalists who were present to cover the event to call their editors and ask them why they had published such stories.

“The media are against this government. They print a picture of the Malwatte Mahanayake along with the story. He is out of the country. It gives an impression that Malwatte Mahanayake, too, is opposing the new constitution. They should tell the nation why they did so. (He gets an aide to bring the newspapers). Look at these.

These are the papers. I ask the journalists here to contact their editors and ask them the reason for this.

“The story had been told by the Diyawadana Nilame. Then the newspapers should have carried his picture. This is misleading the public. Please ask your editors. Ask them now. Tell me now how are you going to publish my speech here today. Are you going to print it on page one or on an inside page?

“We have been given a mandate by the people. Do not media recognise it?” the Premier queried.