Former Justice and Buddhasasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, upon being relieved of his ministerial position today, said there was ‘no greater shame’ than continuing in a Cabinet bent on selling national assets.

President Maithripala Sirisena this afternoon, yielding to pressure from the United National Party (UNP) to remove the Justice Minister, informed Rajapakshe of his removal as Justice and Buddhasasana Minister.

The UNP, at a Working Committee and parliamentary group meeting on August 17 gave the former Minister time until August 21 to retract a statement he had made regarding the lease of the Hambantota harbor to China for 99-years.

The former Minister however had refused to retract his statement, and was removed by the President, at the UNP’s insistence, this morning. He has also been criticized for failing to prosecute members of the previous regime.