Ranil expresses concern over Champika’s arrest

Leader of the United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremesinghe says the arrest of former Megapolis Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka is at odds with the accepted norms of democracy and law.

In a special statement issued on behalf of the United National Front (UNF), the former Prime Minister said this arrest has violated the traditions that should be followed when taking a Member of Parliament into custody.

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya was not pre-informed of the arrest of MP Ranawaka, the former Premier further pointed out.

“During the tenure of the previous government, what we did was extricating the judiciary, the police, public service and all other institutions from politicization,” the ex-Premier stressed.

The current government that pledged the establishment of a disciplined country appears to violate these traditions, law and discipline with the intention of achieving political objectives.