COLOMBO (News1st): President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was offended over attempts to withdraw constitutional provisions that would allow dual citizens to hold political office, a government parliamentarian has said.

He (the president) said there are dual citizens who love the country and want to serve it,” Weerasumana Weerasinghe, the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna candidate pointed out.

The provisions pertaining to dual citizenship in the 20th amendment were passed in parliament following a vote recently.

Weerasinghe said Rajapaksa, a former US citizen, had pointed out that he was also a dual citizen, and had recalled the inconveniences he faced while renouncing it to run for President.

“…he (the President) asked us not to reject it this time,” the parliamentarian said.

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