A meeting between national organisations and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was held on August 10, at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Ven. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara, Wasantha Bandara, lawyer Kalyananda Thiranagama, Prof. R.B. Herath, Engineer Keerthi Wickramaratne, specialist Dr. Harris Pathirage, lawyer Madumali Alwis, Primal Fernando, Yasas Dharmadasa, Senaratne de Silva and several other scholars representing national organisations participated at this event.
Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara said, “Together with Dinesh Gunawardena then MP, we brought the real struggles to life in the past. Today, there are struggles that meet the needs of foreign interests and they are done for money.
They cannot be called struggles. Reactionaries who try to destabilise the country in economic, social, religious and cultural perspectives are working rapidly in different ways.
In such a situation, on behalf of all the national organisations, we thank you for your commitment to the country by accepting this important position. We believe that you will be able to turn the country in the right direction based on the mission you have carried forward on behalf of the nation for four decades. Meanwhile, the combination of the President and you becomes a great strength for the country.”
Taking part in the event, Ven. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera said: “It is very important for the country that you have been appointed as the Prime Minister since you have committed yourself to protect the national identity of the country even in and outside of the Parliament. Our organisations have presented a program for the all-party Government that will be implemented in the future. We hope that you will study it and take it forward. Reactionaries are engaged in a grand operation of discrediting progressive characters who voice the needs of the country.”
Kalyananda Thiranagama said: “We reversed some unimaginable laws that were harmful to the country. You were also with us that day providing a giant strength. No one thought that we would win the case against the Foreign Exchange Act. But we did it that day. We have regained that confidence today. Let’s work with the right decision together”.
Dr. Wasantha Bandara said that: “You to be in the office as the Prime Minister is a great strength and a beacon light for national organisations. You are the only person who can save us if we go into bad situations on this journey. If public trust is directed in the right direction, the struggles will disappear. If they head towards right path within that program, we will contribute.”
“You are the only leader who consistently followed a nation-first policy,” Prof. R B Herath said and assured, “we would support you to implement that policy forward in the correct path”.
Attorney-at-Law Madumali Alwis called for immediate change in the elections system, which she described as corrupt. “We are aware of your commitment to the principle of electoral reforms.
I urge you to use your current exalted position as a weapon for that purpose. The belief in the country as well as your belief is that a system of elections that is accountable to the people should be introduced. We call on you to introduce a new income tax formula suitable to our country.
Our appeal to you is to lessen the cost of living burden faced by the people,” she said.
Engineer Keerthi Wickramaratne, Yasas Dharmadasa and Primal Fernando also spoke.
The Patriotic National Movement, National Scholars Monks Association, 56’ Children Organisation, Union of National Organisations, Global Sri Lankan Forum, Professional Engineers Association, Vijayagrahi National Organisation, Buddhist- Christian Brotherhood, Patriotism Scholars Association and the Patriotic National Front were among the organisations that participated in the event.