A ‘Adishtana Pooja’ was organized by a coalition of civil society organizations and trade unions on Tuesday (September 28) in front of the Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero Memorial Statue near the Japanese Friendship Road in Kotte.
Speaking to the media after the Adishtana Pooja, Saman Ratnapriya, a former UNP National List MP and trade union leader, said that the government had proposed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which does not address the problems of the people or the country, simply to create a dictatorial president.
“This constitutional amendment will abolish the Audit Commission, abolish the Procurement Commission, abolish the powers of the COPE Committee in Parliament and abolish the powers of the Auditor General. The Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution is an opportunity to stop theft, stop fraud and corruption, and to encourage theft, fraud and corruption, ”he added.
Prof. Wickremabahu Karunaratne told the media that the government had introduced the 20th Amendment to the Constitution as an attempt to build the most repressive state.
He recalled that such a thing had happened in Germany in the history of the world.
“It was a situation where he was elected from a parliament, formed a dictatorial government, carried out racist repression all over the country and brought about a world catastrophe.”
Trade union leaders, political representatives and civil society representatives were present at the candlelight vigil in front of the Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero memorial statue.
As of Wednesday, September 28, 39 petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the government’s 20th Amendment to the Constitution, court correspondents reported.