Ranjith had much to offer the downtrodden - Minister Dinesh
Late Ratnapura District MP Ranjith de Soyza was instumental in bringing back Mahinda Rajapaksa to politics following his defeat at the Presidential Election in 2015, Foreign Relations and Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Minister and House Leader Dinesh Gunawardena in Parliament yesterday.
He made this observation moving the Condolence Motion of late Ranjith Soyza who died on December 4, 2019 at the age of 57.
Minister Gunawardena said that Soyza also took a great effort to secure the victory of Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential election, despite his ill health. Soyza represented the Ratnapura people in Parliament for 9 years since 2010.
He said that Soyza was born on May 3, 1962 at Godakawela as the second son of Edwin de Soyza and Leelawathi Senanayake. He was Buddhist by birth and lucky to have five siblings. He initiated his education from Siddartha Maha Vidyalaya and lated was admitted to the Godakawela Rahula National College.He was much interested in agriculture and obtained a Diploma in Agriculture.
He married Muditha Prishanthi and were parents of Panka de Soyza and Thamodi Nihinsa. He won the Pradeshiya Sabha election in 1997 and was elected the Chairman of the Atakalanpanna Pradeshiya Sabha. He developed all roads in the area after buying a backhoe for the Pradeshiya Sabha. He also provided electricity to a considerable area under him then. He was elected to the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council in 2004 and was appointed its Agriculture and Lands Minister.
He was a politician who always represented the poor and underprivileged and the low income earners such as rubber tappers and labourers. He never changed his path for the perks, privileges and the wealth. He who won the love of all won the general election in 2010 and 2015.
He was appointed as the Deputy National Organizer of the Joint Opposition and he was committed and dedicated to organise the campaign against the UNP. He also took measures to impart information technology and English to youth in the area and rendered a great service to the temples in the area.
Although Soyza had been nominated a State Minister following Gotabaya Rajapaksa's victory, he died causing a vacuum that cannot be filled in the minds of the people in Ratnapura, fellow politicians and in the progressive political camp in the country.
Ranjith was a passionate politician - JVP
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Sunil Handunnetti extending condolences to late MP Ranjith Zoysa on behalf of the party stated that Zoysa was a politician who had a passion for politics, unlike many younger generation politicos.
Handunnetti said without such passion as in Zoysa, a good politician is not created. “One needs to have this passion for politics.Without it, no one can succeed. He was once involved in JVP student politics. He must have had an influence of our politics which shaped his character. Whatever the ideological differences we may have had, Zoysa was always a great colleague who had that political spirit in him.”
Handunnetti also observed that MP Zoysa was there for his political party at the direst need.
“Whenever there was a need of a person of personality to represent the political party, Zoysa was there. He had the political and the social personality to face people. He had no charges or allegations on corruption. He had that strong identity. He had a passion to learn. Zoysa was a contemporary politician who contributed immensely for his political party.” Handunnetti furthered.
MP Ranjith De Zoysa worked hard to uplift the commoner - Gayantha
Extending condolences to late MP Ranjith De Zoysa in Parliament yesterday Chief Opposition Whip UNP MP Gayantha Karunatilake said that Zoysa was a politician of the commoners.
“There are many of us here who have come to Parliament from a line of political connections. However, Zoysa came to politics from the grassroot level. Step by step he made it into Parliament, and at each step he fulfilled his responsibilities. He represented a rural area such as Rakwana, where he had to communicate with people in need and people of all ethnic communities. He represented all of these people and he did his best for them. He was a great fighter, a polished orator and moved with everyone despite any political differences.” MP Karunatilake said. MP Zoysa was not a man who got disheartened by political defeats, Karunatilake also observed. “Most politicians when they deal with defeats, they accept them to be long term. Zoysa was not like that. He always worked incessantly and courageously towards victory.
Zoysa was someone who understood the role that should be played by the Opposition. Just as much as when he was in power, when he was in the Opposition, he fulfilled that duty, most successfully and admirably.”
Karunatilake said that MP Zoysa dedicated himself to the victory the SLPP gained at the Presidential election.
Stood by the PM during difficult times - Minister Wimal
Late Ranjith Soyza was a politician who could take the right decision select the right leader at the right time Small and Medium Business and Enterprise Development and Industries and Supply Chain Management Minister Wimal Weerawansa said.
He added that following the 2015 Presidential election most of the SLFPers were aimless being unable to select their path. Although they had many excuses to join with the SLFP, Ranjith Soyza took the right decision to stand with Mahinda Rajapaksa. He did so at a time when many never thought that Mahinda Rajapaksa would come back to active politics.
"However he was among the few correct politicians who thought that Mahinda should come back to politics and he was correct," Weerawansa said. "And not only he thought but he committed to make his thought right."
He said further that Soyza during this period had to get imprisoned. "But Soyza was prosecuted by an Attorney General who instructs Police to take orders to arrest High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitiya who already had lodged a complaint that Ranjan Ramanayake influenced in his official duties," Minister Weerawansa said. "The same Attorney General was appointed by the Commission during the former UNP government. How could the petitioner be arrested? But those who are to be arrested are at large. Such Attorney Generals got Ranjith Soyza arrested."
He also said the President had to prevent the arrest of Pilapitiya as such an arrest would be inimical to justice. He added that hence Justice that was corrupt during the previous regime has had to stand on its feet.He added it has to be done carefully. Minister Weerawansa said though he rarely joined in condolence motions, he joined the Condolence Motion of late Ranjith Soyza most willingly.
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