Deputy Leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Madumadhawa Aravinda resigns

COLOMBO (News 1st) - A statement made by Deputy Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Madumadhawa Aravinda has created a crisis in the political arena. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has requested Udaya Gammanpila to immediately make an explanation. Pivithuru Hela Urumaya of Udaya Gammanpila has pledged support to Presidential Candidate of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Gotabaya Rajapaksa. However, a controversial statement made by the assistant leader of the party was heavily circulated on social media. In this footage, Madumadawa Aravinda makes racial remarks about a certain ethnic group and spreads hate speech among the gathered. The Podujana Peramuna had condemned the statement and a document released by Madumadawa Aravinda stated that he has resigned from all his positions from the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya. The letter further states that he apologizes if his statement brought disrepute to the party. The Podujana Peramuna continues to adhere to a stern stance with regard to this statement. UPFA MP Kanchana Wijesekera shared his thoughts on the controversial video and noted that as soon as he saw the video he contacted Dullas Alahepperuma and believed that stern action should be taken against this. MP noted that he was informed that Udaya Gammanpila has been informed regarding this and that Udaya Gammanpila is being allowed to take the relevant steps. MP added that failure to take action was one of the reasons for their defeat as the former government. He added that it resulted in both Muslim and Tamil people leaving the party. According to the MP, if someone is inciting racism, and if someone is trying to suppress a certain race then, we must clearly state, that they have no place among our group with Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Ali Sabry, President's Counsel noted that they took actions immediately and spoke to the former president, the Presidential candidate as well as Udaya Gammanpila. He added that they must say that they will not let anyone label the Rajapaksas as racists by carrying out conspiracies and dividing the Sinhalese and Muslims. However, MP Udaya Gammanpila was not present at the rally in Anuradhapura today. News 1st's attempts to contact him on several occasions deemed futile.

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