Minister Champika Ranawaka says many minority party leaders are 'more patriotic than the JVP'

Buddhist monk-led Jathika Hela urumaya (JHU) accused Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) of working on secret agendas while 'pretending to be a patriotic force'.

Organising strikes

All JHU parliamentarians voted for President Mahinda Rajapaksa's budget proposals while 37 JVP legislators voted against.

Only JVP dissident Nandana Gunathilake voted with the government.

(JVP) organised a strike in the upcountry while the security forces were fighting the LTTE in Vakarai: When forces were advancing in Thoppigala, the JVP organised island-wide strike Minister Champika Ranawaka

Environmental affairs minister, Champika Ranawaka, told BBC Sandeshaya that the JVP trade unions organised strikes every time when the military was engaged with the LTTE.

"They organised a strike in the upcountry while the security forces were fighting the LTTE in Vakarai: When forces were advancing in Thoppigala, the JVP organised island-wide strike," he told BBC Sinhala.com.

Conspiracy 'with the West'

The JHU minister who is close confidante of President Rajapaksa also accused the JVP of working together with the West to defeat the government.

"It was clear that Western diplomats tirelessly worked to defeat the government in the vote for the budget proposals," Ranawaka said.

Minister Ranawaka accused JVP of secretly working with the West to undermine government's military strategy

The JVP was part of the conspiracy, he added.

Commenting on the support by the minority parties, minister Ranawaka added that the JVP was more opportunistic than ministers Rauff Hakeem and Arumugam Thondaman.

We would have seen where those so called 118 patriots would be had we announced our decision before 19 November JVP leader, Wimal Weerawansa

The JVP, however, categorically rejected the accusations.

"We would have seen where those so called 118 patriots would be had we announced our decision before 19 November," JVP parliamentary group leader told journalists in Colombo.

The government "should organise special pooja for the JVP for making our decision public at the last moment," wimal weerawansa added.