“We Are in a Transformational Era; Political Change Is Needed,” Says K.D. Lalkantha

The “22 and the Country’s Future: People’s Aspirations” conference was held today at the Mahaweli Centre in Colombo.

Agriculture Minister K.D. Lalkantha, Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe and President’s Counsel Nigel Hatch were among those who participated in the event.

Addressing the gathering, Minister K.D. Lalkantha said that those planning to hold a protest on the 24th were political opponents and stressed that the country was currently in a transformational era that required significant change.

He also said that a protest at Polduwa Junction would not stop the ongoing process.

Referring to the Easter Sunday attacks case, Lalkantha said that the public was currently waiting with the expectation that the outcome of the case would provide them with confidence.

He also referred to the protest scheduled to be held at Polduwa Junction the day after tomorrow, saying that it would not achieve anything. He questioned why the date of the protest had been announced before the relevant decision was delivered, suggesting that those organising the protest already knew what the decision would be.

Lalkantha said that a transformation had taken place in the country's system of governance and argued that the proposed constitutional amendment was being introduced as part of the interests of the ruling class.

He referred to the 1978 Constitution introduced during the presidency of J.R. Jayewardene, saying that it had also been introduced as part of a transformation of the country's system.

According to Lalkantha, the proposal was to provide the legal strength required for an economic transformation through the 1978 Constitution.

He also referred to the events of 1983, questioning why the JVP had been banned and saying that neither Ranil Wickremesinghe nor Sajith Premadasa could explain the matter to those who remained today. He claimed that the circumstances surrounding Black July had been created by those political forces.

Lalkantha further referred to the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, saying that only one person, Patali Champika Ranawaka, had voted against it. He said that legislation relating to independent commissions had been brought before Parliament by the JVP, arguing that the political circumstances and requirements of that period had to be considered.

He said that the country was now in a “transformational era” and a “transformational moment”, adding that society was continuously demanding new developments and that the political system could not remain unchanged while transformations were taking place in every other area.

Commenting on the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment, Lalkantha strongly criticised what he described as the reactionary elements associated with it. Using figurative language, he said that “lions, mongooses and cobras” could be found within the amendment and argued that it represented political forces that had reflected reactionary positions in the recent past.

He also referred to political opponents, saying that some of them were associated with Sajith Premadasa and that there were other names he chose not to mention.

Lalkantha said that the important question was where the country's political opponents stood on the issue, arguing that those who stood against them represented the opposing side.

He therefore claimed that the political opponents of the government were now standing against the 22nd Amendment at Polduwa Junction.

He also said that the public should pay attention to who was making particular statements, just as they should consider who was being referred to when news reports were presented.

“Even when news is being reported, we have to look at who the people are. Likewise, when statements are being made, we have to look at whose mouths they are coming from,” Lalkantha said.