UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe says that betraying the people’s trust and their mandate is a despicable act and that they will not allow such actions.

He made these comments while delivering a speech during the protest rally “Yukthiye Jana Handa (Voice of Justice)” organized at the Kollupitya Junction this afternoon (30).

He stated that they had united to take the country forwards while safeguarding the people’s rights for democracy, to exercise their franchise and sovereignty of the Parliament.

“However, unfortunately at an unexpected moment President Maithripala Sirisena broke this mandate, pushed aside the Parliament and is attempting to once again take the executive power into his hands.”

“We are against it. We will not allow it,” Wickremesinghe said, addressing the party supporters gathered at the public rally.

He said that the people of the country today expect them to safeguard the democracy which they fought for.

Speaking about the sudden appointing of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the UPFA and Joint Opposition wanted to finish things off by Friday evening and was expecting the UNP members to be stay “like prisoners” unable to do anything.

 “We decided that we will not allow it,” he said, adding that they turned Temple Trees into the “symbol of democracy” until the people come together and get organised.

The UNP leader said that on one hand the people’s trust has been broken and they are asking ‘what is going on’ while on the other hand the fundamental right of the people which is the power of the vote and the Parliament have been “stepped on”. “We will not allow that to be pushes aside,” he reiterated.

“The problem here is not between us. The problem here is whether the people’s mandate is accepted or whether the people are removed.”

Wickremesinghe said they demand that the Parliament be convened immediately while assuring that they are ready to take the remaining steps necessary to strengthen democracy.