In a new development, External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris has underscored the significance of the JHU proposals presented to the government while saying there were many important points among the 35 proposals.

The External Affairs Minister said that the JHU decided to step down from ministerial positions, soon after the government started to consider the JHU proposals.    

However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa previously asserted that the government was not in a position to go for a hasty constitutional amendment. The President also added that the constitution was not a “magazine” to be amended every month, according to whims and fancies of certain parties.

“However, this move by the JHU will not hinder President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s victory for a third term Presidency”, Peiris said yesterday addressing a press conference in Colombo.

The JHU decided to step down from the government after taking into consideration the written response presented by the United People’s Freedom Alliance.

“Although the External Affairs Minister speaks of the importance of our proposals, the written response which was handed over to us by the ruling party,” a senior spokesman of the JHU told ‘Asian Mirror’ on Wednesday.

Stalwarts of the Jathika Hela Urumaya including Technology and Research Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and Provincial Council Minister Udaya Gammanpila stepped down from their Ministerial positions yesterday after making a public announcement.