Former President Maithripala Sirisena says the statements made by certain groups claiming he used 200 vehicles during his tenure as President were false.
Responding to a statement by the Minister of Agriculture, the former President said he will resign from his seat if it is proven that he was living in a house constructed by combining three separate houses.
The former Head of State said all such claims are false as they haven’t been proven.
Former President Sirisena said it was stated that the former President used 200 vehicles adding the annual expenses of the Presidential Secretariat was over Rs.3.5 billion, when the President’s expenditure was being discussed in Parliament on Tuesday.
He said the statement was false adding he only had four vehicles allocated for his use. The former President said these false statements are part of a mudslinging campaign.
Joining the debate, State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said the Ministers representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna make contradictory statements from time to time regarding the number of vehicles used by former President Maithripala Sirisena.
State Minister Jayasekara said Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage claimed there were 200 vehicles adding however Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena in his speech claimed there were 386 vehicles.
The State Minister questioned which of the statements was true.
He commended President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for only using three vehicles for his convoy adding however the President and the Prime Minister possess a fleet of vehicles.
State Minister Jayasekara said the President will use three vehicles when travelling in Colombo adding another three vehicles will be used to travel to Anuradhapura for a separate function.
The State Minister emphasized the importance of thinking before making various claims adding they too can present many facts on the topic.
He said Minister Aluthgamage continues to make false claims adding as a member of the government, they will not tolerate such statements made against former President Sirisena.
