Courtesy - DM - By Sujith M. De Silva
It is treachery to the motherland to accuse world acclaimed cricketers Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera of match fixing via state media,UNP leader said in Chilaw on Tuesday. "At a time when the UPFA Government from top to bottom is behaving without any decency, involving in malpractices and vices, it is a great treachery to the motherland, Wickremesinghe said in Chilaw addressing an election rally.
He said that the insult hurled at these two cricketers of great fame, the products of Buddhist colleges, Colombo Ananda and Nalanda, by the media under the control of the government, was so malicious that it warranted that the President and the present Government in its entirety should apologize to the Sri Lankan cricket enthusiasts in public.
Read more"In those days, after having partaken the main three meals it was customary to watch cricket matches, with a gulp of boiled gram and a cup of coffee, he said.
"But now times have changed and under the President Mahinda Rajapaksa government the people are watching cricket matches with empty stomachs, consuming only the air," he said.
"The motive of the Government today is to suppress the electoral process sidelining it behind the cricket matches, which was evident when the Pakistani team defeated Sri Lanka by making false accusations over the state owned TV channels, that the match was fixed," he accused.
"Cricket is a game of both winning and losing and we should be prepared to face both."
"The Government is bent on increasing prices of essentials. In his address to the nation on the Independence Day the President hinted that it was necessary to adopt unpopular methods as well in developing the country.
"However, in contrast soon after the war victory he said that during the war period the nation was prevented from enjoying the fruits of development and promised to grant relief to all. But going back in his promise he now says it was difficult and unpleasant decisions have to be taken," Mr. Wickremesinghe said.
