Opposition: Govt. propaganda blitz very counterproductive
... alleges Gotabhaya spearheading campaign
December 14, 2014, 10:03 pmThe coalition supporting Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena, MP, yesterday claimed that incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s massive propaganda campaign wouldn’t help him secure a third term at Jan. 8, 2015 presidential election.
Instead, the costly government project could be advantageous to Maithripala Sirisena, the media was told at a press conference held at an Opposition campaign office at Havelock Road.
Calling the government propaganda campaign repulsive, UNP MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, claimed that the Rajapaksas had earned the wrath of the people for spending so much on the re-election project.
MP Rajapakshe said that the electorate couldn’t be deceived by propaganda alone. In fact, the level of spending on propaganda had raised many an eyebrow, the MP said, urging people to exercise their franchise in support of Maithripala Sirisena.
Attorney-at-law Shiral Lakthilake alleged that the vast majority of people despised the UPFA’s propaganda offensive. UNP reformist Lakthilake ridiculed the government for displaying political advertisements during ongoing ODI series between Sri Lanka and England. The electorate looked at UPFA’s conduct with contempt, he said, adding that government leaders were cutting the ground from under their own feet.
MP Rajapakshe alleged that in his Maharagama electorate alone, the government had displayed about 1,000 cuts and 12 pandols. The President’s Counsel lashed out at police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana for asserting that the police couldn’t be held responsible for removing posters and other propaganda material. The police should be ashamed of their stand, the MP said, a section of the police had gone to the extent of displaying banners in support of President Rajapaksa. The Angunakolapalessa police had embarrassed the department by erecting a pandol at the entrance to the police station. The police had ignored Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya’s directive to remove it, he said.
Rajapakshe said that Officers in Charge of police stations had attended political events with some even opening political offices. The MP strongly criticized President Rajapaksa for using Temple Trees as his campaign headquarters. The MP revealed Opposition plans to haul those responsible for running Temple Trees operation up before a court of law following Maithripala Sirisena’s victory, which he stressed was inevitable. The UPFA campaign had been largely funded by taxpayers’, the former Chairman of parliamentary watchdog committee namely the Committee on Public Enterprises said.
Commenting on President Rajapaksa’s claim that he had files on some members, MP Rajapakshe said that the President should provide whatever information regarding corruption in his hands to the Bribery Commission or the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Lakthilake accused Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa of campaigning for his brother. The UNP dissident alleged that the military had been playing a significant role in the propaganda campaign The military had gone to the extent of mobilizing the Buddhist clergy in support of the incumbent president,
The former UNP Western Provincial Council member said, citing a series of Buddhist sermons organized at selected temples with live television coverage as a case in point. He alleged that the Urban Development Authority (UDA) had been fully mobilized for propaganda work with UDA launching 24 hour digital display in Colombo of development projects carried out by the government since the end of the war. Lakthilake lambasted Elections Commissioner Deshapriya for failing to direct the UDA to stop campaigning for President Rajapaksa.
Recalling the draconian measures taken by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to control the media, Lakthilake emphasized the restrictions imposed by the Rajapaksa regime had strengthened their resolve to go ahead with Maithripala Sirisena’s campaign. Lakthilake also accused Defence Secretary Rajapaksa of deploying retired military officers to strengthen President Rajapaksa’s campaign. The use of ex-military personnel was meant to instill fear among UNPers and Opposition activists, Laksthilake said, expressing confidence that regardless of state terror, Maithripala Sirisena could win due to overwhelming people’s support. "Ours is a people’s movement for democracy. It cannot be suppressed by terror tactics."
Lakthilake alleged that law and order situation had deteriorated to such an extent that a group of artistes performing street drama in the North Central Province was recently attacked.
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