Somawansa stages fast demanding action on coup plot
May 1, 2015 10:27 am
Former JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe has commenced a protest fast at Independence Square in Colombo demanding action against the alleged coup attempt on January 09.
Speaking to Ada Derana, veteran Leftist leader says that there are several people who are aware of the conspiracy which was hatched on that day and that they are prepared to assist an investigation into the matter.
Amarasinghe claims that there is a risk of the incident repeating at the next General Election and that it is a threat to the life of President Maithripala Sirisena.
It is the duty and responsibility of 6.2 million people to protect the President, he added.
The government had alleged that a coup attempt was hatched at Temple Trees while election results were being announced on January 9 morning.
On January 23, foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera lodged a complaint with the CID requesting an investigation into the alleged last-minute coup attempt by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa after he lost the presidential elections.
Samaraweera says he has reliable information that Rajapaksa met with then Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris, Chief Justice Mohan Peiris and provincial politician Udaya Gammanpila when results showed he was losing the election.
However, Rajapaksa has denied the allegation in a series of tweets, saying he accepted the outcome long before the final official results were released and has always accepted the people’s verdict during his decades-long political career.
