Top stories in the Tamil press
2/3 majority should not be used to promote dynastic politics
One of the prominent politician of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), former parliamentarian Harin Fernando, on Monday (10) urged both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa not to use the two-thirds majority given by the people to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to promote and consolidate dynastic political domination.
Addressing a media briefing at the SJB office, Fernando said his party respected the massive mandate given to the president and prime minister by the people, and insisted the parliamentary majority be fully used to save the people instead of promoting dynastic politics.
– Virakesari Daily
I don’t have dual citizenship, says Suren Ragavan
Former Northern Province Governor Dr. Suren Ragavan has categorically denied he is a dual citizen of Sri Lanka and Canada.
Responding to a query on the complaint made by a monk activist of a civil society organization to the Election Commission (EC) that the newly appointed national list MP of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has dual citizenship, Dr. Ragavan said although he had had obtained Canadian citizenship earlier, he had relinquished it a long time ago, and was now only a Sri Lankan citizen.
The monk has asked the EC to enquire and verify whether Dr. Ragavan is a dual citizen of Sri Lanka and Canada.
– Virakesari Daily
‘No need to talk to TNA alone’
Senior politician and leading member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Dinesh Gunawardena, has declared there would be no necessity to talk to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) alone, given the fact that Tamil people in the North and East had rejected them in last week’s general election.
Pointing out that TNA had been claiming they were the soul representatives of the Tamils and any talks regarding their political rights and humanitarian problems should be with them alone, Gunawardena noted the Tamil people had rejected the TNA and said the government would be addressing the problems faced by the Tamils with all the Tamil members elected to Parliament.
– Thinakural Daily
National List slot for Mavai Senathiraja?
Leaders of three constituent parties of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have extended their support to nominating the defeated leader of the Federal Party (Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi), Mavai S. Senathiraja, to fill the sole National List slot obtained by the Alliance at last week’s polls.
Dharmalingam Siddarthan, leader of the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) and Amirthanathan Adaikalanathan, leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) have voiced strong opposition to the decision taken by the General Secretary of the Federal Party to nominate Eastern Provincial Councillor and Ampara District Chairman, Thavarasa Kalaiyarasan PC, to the National List seat, without informing the leader of the party or the constituents of the alliance. They have insisted Senathiraja be nominated as the National List member to Parliament.
– Thinakural Daily