Government Parliamentarian Ramesh Pathirane slammed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security in Parliament today over the Galle Face attacks.

He said the two officials had deliberately failed to stop the attacks by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) loyalists on peaceful anti-government protesters on 09th May.

Pointing out that the anti-government protests had been in place for over a month, the MP said the President and the government had no reasons to attack or disrupt it.

“However, a few politicians with ulterior motives were seen influencing the party loyalists during the meeting with then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, resulting in the attack on protesters at the Galle Face Green,” he revealed.

MP Pathirane said that prior to the attacks, he had informed the Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon and urged him to prevent it.

He further said when the President was informed in this regard and had, in turn, inquired from SDIG Tennakoon in this regard, the latter had stated that he had been instructed by the IGP not to take measures to prevent the attacks on protesters.

The MP revealed that following the direct intervention of the President measures had been taken by the SDIG to fire tear gas and water cannons to disperse the attackers at Galle Face.MP Ramesh Pathirane said the statement of the SDIG has proven that the attacks had gone ahead due to the deliberate inaction of the IGP and the Secretary to the Ministry