Dilith challenges govt to disclose defence pact

Leader of the ‘Sarvajana Balaya’ alliance and Member of Parliament Dilith Jayaweera challenged the government to table the recently signed defense agreement with India in Parliament.

Addressing a public meeting held in Avissawella, MP Jayaweera claimed that the government would not disclose the agreement under any circumstances.

“In the past few days, the NPP government has signed seven agreements with Indian Prime Minister Modi. However, MP Vijitha Herath delivered a lengthy statement regarding these agreements. Yet, he failed to provide any information about their actual content. Instead, he suggested that those seeking details should file a request under the Right to Information Act —and he made this suggestion in Parliament itself,” Jayaweera said.

He said that the government has reached a lamentable position and that no previous administration has acted this way.

“If the content of this agreement cannot be disclosed for diplomatic reasons, the government should at least have the backbone to admit that and explain why. They should say, ‘Yes, we signed it, but for this reason, we will not make it public,’” he expressed.

“No one knows what these agreements contain—and it appears that no one will be allowed to know,” Jayaweera stressed.