Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman MA Sumanthiran has come to the defense of National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake after his remarks in North caused controversy.
Dissanayake had said, “When the people of the South are rallying for change, if you oppose that change, imagine the mood of the people in the South. Do you want Jaffna to be seen as opponents of that change?” The comments were criticized as a threat to the Northern population specially by President Ranil Wickramasinghe.
Speaking to media, Sumanthiran refuted the idea that Dissanayake’s remarks were racially motivated. “I don’t think comrade Anura Kumara said these words with a view to expressing any racist feeling. I know him too well. He is not one such person,” Sumanthiran said. “In fact, he has taken great care to eradicate racism in this country. So, we have no different feelings on this matter.”
While reaffirming his party’s support for opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming election, Sumanthiran also expressed a willingness to collaborate with Dissanayake on shared goals. “We may have decided to support another presidential candidate, but on this enterprise, we are together. We will join with him in eradicating misrule and corruption in the country. He can count on us for that.”
Meanwhile, President Ranil Wickremesinghe criticized Dissanayake’s remarks, accusing him of using coercive rhetoric and threatening the people of the North. “As President, I guarantee that the people of the North will be fully protected by the law,” Wickremesinghe said, calling on Dissanayake to apologize to both the Tamil people of the North and the people of the South. (NewsWire)