MP Mano Ganesan said he would withdraw from the petition calling for the release of former MP Duminda Silva who is currently on death row.
A number of MPs representing the government and several opposition MPs from Ganesan’s party handed over a letter to the President requesting to grant presidential pardon to Silva.
Ganesan came under severe criticism from opposition MPs for signing the letter without any approval from the opposition alliance.
Ganesan said, “In my twenty-five years of political history, I sincerely believe that I have worked for human rights, never jumped into a party, changed a political party, not paying for money, not running away from policy threats, not running away from my life threats. But they are unable to remember my honest history.
Similarly, another Tamil party accuses me of my effort to release the Tamil political prisoners who have been living in prison for decades, that I see the Tamil prisoners as equal to the murderers.
I want to say something to these people. Even though we identify these prisoners as Tamil political prisoners, the majority of people living in the south of this country still consider them as terrorists.
They should understand that one's fighter, who seems to be guilty of others, forgetting the world's walk and cannot act.
It is always my strong stand that we need to create an understanding of the Sinhalese people of the South to find solutions to such misery faced by Tamil, Muslim and people.
As I signed Dumintha Silva's liberation petition, I know that my political opponents are using a confusion among a group of people, trying to make false propaganda against me and plan to defame me and my honesty. By this, these people are involved in small efforts to destroy my democratic political history.
With the above reasons in mind, I am withdrawing the signature I put on the Dumintha Silva's liberation petition.
Similarly, I also inform you that I am very saddened by the government for the freedom of Tamil political prisoners and my efforts to take the attention of the Sinhalese people of the South, regarding the misunderstood.
However, I will continue to take my efforts to release the Tamil political prisoners who have been separated from their wives, children, parents for a long time, suffering and living in prisons.
Similarly, as Sri Lankans in the same country, I will never leave my path which removes the barriers that we all have to live in.”
