India, US and other friendly countries must encourage rulers to step down - M. A. Sumanthiran

When a no confidence motion against the government is passed, the Cabinet stands dissolved according to the Constitution. Then, a new government has to be formed. Then, we must know what that new government is going to be like. Those who are bringing the no confidence motion must discuss with us what they have in mind as to who forms the next government. Without that plan, dissolving this government can be very dangerous. We are also firmly of the view that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa must step down. We don’t want to be in a position where the president continues and another person who is worse than the current prime minister becomes the prime minister. That will be from the frying pan into the fire. We won’t be able to control anything the moment the no confidence motion is carried. That is why we need to know first what kind of a government will be formed. Everybody who has left the government is saying the 20th Amendment must be repealed. Right alone, they knew the 20th Amendment was wrong. All of them are people who voted for it. What is there to say that they will go back on it? They are the people who voted for the 18th Amendment too. Then, they repealed it with the 19th Amendment. They voted for that also. Then, again, they thought the 18th Amendment was wrong and made amends for the 19th Amendment. But, they voted for the 20th Amendment. It is realisation or anything like that. This is just political opportunism. This is downright irresponsible behaviour. So, we are very wary about those who have left the government. This may all be a well-planned scheme for the same government to continue.   

The president is the head of the government. The call-out by the people is for the president to resign. That is the main call. Everything else is subsidiary to that. Without that happening, we just rearrange some chairs in the Cabinet and continue. That will be sham and an attempt to fool the people. We cannot become party to that kind of charade. We are also opposed to the Mahinda Rajapaksa-led Cabinet. We will support it. But, we must agree first who takes over government from that point onwards.