“The killings and violence committed within the Aragalaya are not part of a movement that accepts violence. House burnings, assaults and killings cannot be approved,” he said.
He alleged that the Aragalaya was deliberately provoked, claiming that members of the Rajapaksa family had used political allies in a planned manner to attack what he described as a peaceful protest movement.
“In response to the attack in the morning, the people of the country protected the Aragalaya . That must be justified,” he said.
The Deputy Minister further revealed that in one of the cases related to the Aragalaya, 12 individuals had been sentenced to death, describing the verdict as clearly divided. He noted that those convicted have the opportunity to appeal before higher courts.
“Justice must be served to the people’s Aragalaya . The judicial system is fair and will serve justice in all these cases. The criminals, including those who turned the Aragalaya into a crime, must be punished,” he added.
