A tense situation was reported in front of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) headquarters in Colombo yesterday when the police denied access to the premises for newly appointed acting Party Chairman Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.
He was denied access when a group of party supporters and office-bearers including acting General Secretary MP Sarathi Dushmantha accompanying him attempted to enter the premises with the intention of conducting a meeting following Rajapakshe’s appointment to the acting position yesterday, it was said.
Police were involved in preventing them entering the premises stating that the headquarters premises is under a criminal investigation relating to a complaint lodged by the acting General Secretary regarding several important files that have gone missing and therefore, the access was denied.
Those who gathered there pointed out that they would not enter the particular area of the premises which is under investigation and the said meeting will be held on another floor. However, they were not allowed to enter the premises by the police. Speaking to media outside the headquarters premises, acting Chairman Minister Dr.Rajapakshe said that the conduct of the police to prevent them entering the premises is unlawful and influenced by an invisible power.
“As people who respect democracy and the rule of law we are not going against the Police. That doesn’t mean that we accepted their behaviour. Police officers who are responsible for this conduct will have to come to the Supreme Court and give explanations in this regard”, he added.
Two factions of the party on two different occasions locked down the SLFP headquarters building thus preventing each other from entering the premises following the injunction order issued by the District Court Colombo on April 4 on party Chairman former President Maithripala Sirisena preventing him from functioning in his position in the party.
The order was based on a case filed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
The acting General Secretary had lodged the complaint with the Maradana Police over the missing files on April 5.
On April 8, a meeting said to be of the SLFP politburo led by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and appointed Ports, Aviation and Shipping Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva as the party’s Acting Chairman.
Lahiru Fernando