The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today urged the media not to mislead the public on the response given by Presidential candidate and former Derfence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to a question raised at a media conference yesterday.
Rajapaksa was asked at his first media conference as Presidential candidate yesterday to respond to concerns over LTTE cadres reported missing after they surrendered to the Army during the war.
A journalist asked Rajapaksa what his response is to concerns that LTTE cadres went missing after they surrendered to the Army, when he led the Army.
Rajapaksa had responded saying he did not lead the Army but was the Defence Secretary.
Asked by journalists today if Rajapaksa only accepted that he led the Army when in suites him and at other times says he did not lead the Army, the SLPP said that Rajapaksa gave the correct response and the media should not attempt to mislead the public.
Rajapaksa’s spokesman Dullas Alahapperuma told reporters today that Rajapaksa did not lead the Army on the ground and that it was the Army Commander at the time, Sarath Fonseka.
He said that Rajapaksa clarified his position to the question raised and he was right in doing so. (Colombo Gazette)