{"id":92150,"date":"2019-08-12T14:35:51","date_gmt":"2019-08-12T20:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=92150"},"modified":"2019-08-11T19:35:55","modified_gmt":"2019-08-12T02:35:55","slug":"president-rajapakse-hands-gr-to-the-nation-as-presidential-candidate-of-slpp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/08\/12\/president-rajapakse-hands-gr-to-the-nation-as-presidential-candidate-of-slpp\/","title":{"rendered":"President Rajapakse hands GR to the Nation as Presidential-Candidate of SLPP"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was one of the finest & most refreshing speeches delivered by former President Mahinda Rajapakse now Opposition Leader and had all the power and verbatim of a national leader. He raised the tempo high enough before declaring to the Nation the candidate whom he said the Nation had already elected. Some of the salient points covered in his speech delivered at the Sugathadasa Stadium is noteworthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Date:\n11 August 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue:\nSugathadasa Stadium<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Event:\nSri Lanka PoduJana Peramuna National Convention to announce its Presidential\nCandidate<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AdaDeranaLive\/videos\/2568173230070582\/UzpfSTEyNTQzOTQ5MTQ4MTYyMDozNzAzMDU3MTAzMjgzMjk\/?epa=SEARCH_BOX\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The\nPresident took us back through memory lane from how the SLFP was first formed,\nthe ideological basis on which the SLFP existed and the manner SLFP had\nweathered political victimization that even included the removal of Mrs.\nSirimavo Bandaranaike\u2019s civic rights by UNP for 7 years. To all who lived\nduring this period every word spoken by Mahinda Rajapakse would have brought home\nemotive sentiments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\nalso took us back to the day he stepped down before election results were\nreleased and went to his hometown where for months lakhs of people travelled to\nshow the world that they still loved him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\njourney thereafter that began with the formation of the SLPP he credited rightly\nto Basil Rajapakse. The cheers & applause acknowledged his role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All\nthat President Rajapakse spoke about what the country now needs showed what the\ncountry had lost under the present government. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nPresident Rajapakse told the Nation that we need to bring back law & order,\nhe reminded all of the law & order lost since January 2015.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nhe spoke of the numerous methods adopted to crush their spirits, and defeat\ntheir popularity amongst the public, it brought to mind the string of\nrevengeful politics that was always part of UNP ideology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nhe spoke about the imprisoning Maha Sangha & Armed Forces personnel and\nvictimizing SLFP supporters, the people\u2019s minds were taken back to all the\nrevengeful incidents that happened since January 2015. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nhe spoke of the 19th<\/sup> amendment and highlighted how a constitution\nwas amended to prevent 3 brothers from being elected by the People \u2013 the reality\ndawned on how and who was part of this set up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nhe said that inspite of the victimizations, vengeful politics and revengeful\nacts, that he or his family did not betray the Nation\u2019s sovereignty for their\nindependence, it was nothing other than the truth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\nthe UNP 24×7 and their supporters threw mud & humiliated the Rajapakses \u2013\nPresident Rajapakse did not utter a word against them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nPresident Rajapakse said that this government has attacked all religions, all\nreligious heads and humiliated them \u2013 Buddhists, Catholics\/Christians, Hindus\nand Islamic adherents would have all nodded in silent acknowledgement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nhe said that hate-filled revenge politics had lasted long enough & must be\nput to rest \u2013 it was a sentiment we all wanted to hear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His\nideology was never hatred or to take revenge and that is what makes him Mahinda\nRajapakse <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– \u0dc0\u0ddb\u0dbb\u0d9a\u0dbb \u0db8\u0da7 \u0daf\u0dd2\u0db1\u0db1\u0dca\u0db1 \u0daf\u0dd9\u0dba\u0d9a\u0dca \u0db1\u0dd1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0d9a\u0dcf\u0dbd\u0dba \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0dc3\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca \u0d85\u0db4\u0dc0 \u0db1\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dca\u0daf\u0ddd\u0dc1\u0dd3 \u0d9a\u0dbd\u0dcf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0d9a\u0dcf\u0dbd\u0dba \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0dc3\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca\u0db8 \u0d85\u0db4\u0dd2\u0dc0 \u0db1\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dca\u0daf\u0dda\u0dc1 \u0d9a\u0dbd\u0dcf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– \u0db8\u0dc4\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca\u0daf \u0dbb\u0dcf\u0da2\u0db4\u0d9a\u0dca\u0dc2\n-“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“\u0dbb\u0da7\u0db8 \u0db6\u0dbd\u0dcf\u0db4\u0ddc\u0dbb\u0ddc\u0dad\u0dca\u0dad\u0dd4 \u0dc0\u0dd6 \u0da2\u0db1\u0dcf\u0db0\u0dd2\u0db4\u0dad\u0dd2 \u0d85\u0db4\u0dd9\u0d9a\u0dca\u0dc2\u0d9a\u0dba\u0dcf \u0d9c\u0ddd<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President\nRajapakse also took many on a guilt trip … he roared…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nHambantatot Port was put for sale<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nMattala Airport was put for sale after referring to it as a paddy storage<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\n the Govt went to Geneva and signed\nresolutions in UNHRC against our forces<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\neven betal leaves were taxed<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\npeople had to wait in queues for petrol<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\npeople suffered from natural disasters<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nmurders were taking place in broad daylight\u2026 People remembered the independence\nthat the Rajapakse Government gave<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\ngarbage piled & the stink became unbearable.. People remembered us, he said<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nthis government began delaying elections .. people remembered us <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nbombs went off \u2026 all communities remembered us<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These\nvictims had no solace \u2013 the SLPP is for them and the thunderous applause was\nenough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President\nRajapakse went on to say that the lifespan of the Government was no almost\nover. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time\nhad returned faith in them and had absolved them but he reminded the Nation\nthat what happened after January 2015 had reversed all that they had\naccomplished since 2005 and that a new government was retaking a destroyed\nnation, a nation that was not the same as that handed over in January 2015. It\nbrought home a lot of realities to the People. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\nreminded all where the destructions have taken place since January 2015<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri\nLanka was now a nation that had given little attention to National Security and\nhe reminded the Nation that without National Security there can be no Nation\nand safety for its People. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\nbrought relief to mothers when he said a new government must put an end to\nmothers guarding school, it was the task of the law enforcements not parents.\nHe mocked at the manner that the present government had said Rs.100,000 would\nbe given for every dead child. He said that national security must return so\nthat all religions can practice their faith without fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\ndon\u2019t need a government who tells civilians to look after national security, he\nsaid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

President\nRajapakse took people down memory lane covering all that his government had\ndone<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • People didn\u2019t think\nwe could end 30 years of terrorism \u2013 but we did<\/li>
  • The Jaffna\npeople didn\u2019t think they could ever travel by train to the South \u2013 but they did<\/li>
  • The Muslim\nrefugees never thought they would come out of their refugee camps- but they did\n<\/li>
  • The People never\nthought development could happen at such a fast pace \u2013 but we did<\/li>
  • People never\nthought Colombo could become such a beautiful city \u2013 but they saw<\/li>
  • It was only\nafter elections were held in North that even TNA was free to travel to the\nNorth, President Rajapakse thundered! <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    President\nRajapakse next went on to draw in our minds the picture of what the Nation\nneeds and who the Nation needs to rebuild the Nation <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • We need a person\nwho will take ownership of the Nation\u2019s National Security<\/li>
    • We need a person\nwho will prevent without taking action afterwards<\/li>
    • We need a person\nwho grew up with discipline because only such a person can bring discipline to\nthe country<\/li>
    • We need a person\nwho will not bend the law, who has the courage & will to take on the task\nof rebuilding the Nation<\/li>
    • We need a person\nwho knows how to protect our national assets both on land & in sea<\/li>
    • We don\u2019t need a\nperson who has only tons of vision with no action <\/li>
    • We don\u2019t need\nanyone who boasts he will do \u2013 we now need someone who has shown he can do<\/li>
    • We need a leader\nwho will not fool the youth with promises like free wifi, chewing gum,\nbracelets, small cars \u2013 the Youth must have a leader they can believe in &\nlook up to<\/li>
    • We need a leader\nwho will terminate poverty, drugs, mafia <\/li>
    • We need a leader\nwho both Youth & Old can look up to, a leader who loves the Nation <\/li>
    • We need a leader\nwho doesn\u2019t just boast \u2013 we need a leader who is honest, with courage, who is\nfond of children & who leads a good marital life   <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      President\nRajapakse said that the Nation has been seeking such a leader since January\n2015 and he too was aware of what the Nation was seeking, but he went on to say\nthat his decision didn\u2019t matter because the People had already chosen their to\nbe future leader, that person has already won the hearts of the People,\nwhatever the government has been doing against him has not spoilt their hope in\nhim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In\na very emotive few seconds later, former President Rajapakse declared <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u2018I\nam now handing my brother to you \u2013 he is no one else but Gotabaya\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      He\nalso declared to the Nation that Gotabaya never asked to be made President, he\nnever begged to make his hands strong and he told Gotabaya that he was now\nselected not to make his hands strong but to strengthen the Nation & to\nstrengthen the hands of the People. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      President\nRajapakse next declared, that just as his ideology was to put the Nation \u2013\nfirst, second & third \u2026 Gotabaya must also put the Country & Nation\nfirst at all times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Thus,\nPresident Rajapakse handed over his brother Gotabaya as Presidential-candidate\nof SLPP and the rest of the story will be written by the People of Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      It was one of the finest & most refreshing speeches delivered by former President Mahinda Rajapakse now Opposition Leader and had all the power and verbatim of a national leader. He raised the tempo high enough before declaring to the Nation the candidate whom he said the Nation had already elected. Some of the salient […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1498,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1498"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92150\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}