President Anurakumara Dissanayake has come hard on former President Mahinda Rajapakse, urging him to vacate his official residence or pay the rent of 4.6 million rupees if he wants to remain in his official residence. From the time former President Mahinda Rajapakse succeeded by his brother Gotabaya Rajapakse as President, residing at his official residence which the former President Mahinda Rajapakse claims he is constitutionally entitled to live in his official residence. Mahinda Rajapakse has also mentioned that the residence was allocated to him by former President Maithripala Sirisena.

President Anurakumara Dissanayake asked former President Mahinda Rajapakse to vacate his official residence while addressing at a meeting held in a suburban area in Colombo two days ago. Responding to President Anurakumara Dissanayake, former President Rajapakse, the former President has said that if an official letter sent to him to vacate the official residence , he will vacate the residence without any delay.

President Anurakumara Dissanayake responding to his predecessor Mahinda Rajapakse mentioned that if Mahinda grumbles anything over handing over back his official residence, the security provided to him even brought down further. Former President Mahinda Rajapakse and his family members have been accused of acquiring several assets illegally in the prime areas of Colombo. The Rajapakse clan has been even accused of owning lands and houses in foreign countries.

Two years ago when former President Gotabaya Rajapajse , brother of Mahinda Rajapakse was in power  a mass agitation was held in Colombo and various parts in the Southern region in the country. The agitation was known as `Aragalaya.’ The agitation was held as a result of shortages in the essential basic needs including the fuel in the country.

People angered by the poor state of the Island’s economy, had even set on fire the private residences of several high profile politicians including former Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe , Gotabaya Rajapakse and even the ancestral house of former Presidents Mahinda Rajapakse and his brothers Gotabaya Rajapakse and Basil Rajapakse whch is located in the Southern tip of the country in  Methamulla, Hambantota. Since then former President Mahinda Rajapakse and his family are living in the highly residential area called Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo.

President Anurakumara Dissanayake urging former President Mahinda Rajapakse to vacate his official residence in Colombo has even pointed out that Mahinda Rajapakse not even paying the rent to his official residence and as a result a huge amount of money has to be spent for the maintenance.

President Anurakumara Dissanayake who is popularly known in his initials as AKD, is currently all out to curtail the undue facilities enjoyed by the Parliamentarians such as expenses allocated for their luxurious vehicles and residences. President AKD has also announced that he was planning to remove the pensions provided to the Parliamentarians. President AKD has even got rid of the position of Chief of Defense staff. According to President AKD since the North and East civil war has ended the Chief of Defense staff position is not necessary at the moment.

In the meantime it is important to remember that when President Mahinda Rajapakse was contesting for his presidency Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which is the revolutionary arm of the present ruling party National People’s Power (NPP) had campaigned extensively in support of Mahinda Rajapakse throughout the country.

However as it was said that there was ` no permanent enemies or permanent friends in politics and only the personal interests’, President AKD has requested his party’s one time ally former President Mahinda Rajapakse to vacate his official residence or pay the rent of Rupees 4.1 million as rent for the high profile residence.

The so called high profile residences were built during the British period and the architectural designs reflected the British and the Lankan heritage houses.

In the meantime it is important to remember hundreds of houses in the North and East Provinces were destroyed due to aerial bombardments and artillery shelling prior to the end of civil strife in the country in 2009. Thousands of people became homeless and a large number of them are still living in a pathetic situation without proper houses in the North and East.  

Former President Mahinda Rajapakse claims that he is constitutionally entitled to live in his official residence in Colombo. His security is a key factor and as he was the former President of the country several international dignitaries will make courtesy visit to him. Therefore he has to live in a respectable residence in a secure atmosphere in Colombo.

However as it was pointed out by President Anurakumara Dissanayake,  the only option for former President Mahinda Rajapakse is to pay the rent of Rupees 4.6 million and continue to live in his so called official residence without any issues with the present Government.