Daily NEWS Srilanka

A religious festival was held day-before-yesterday (26) in Pengodagedera, Panduwasnuwara under the leadership of

This event was organised for the occasion of declaring open the bodhi of the vihara. MPs Johnston Fernando and Salinda Dissanayaka were seated there and when Mahinda was about to get on stage amidst activities of the event, it was seen Minister Dayasiri approaching the flight of steps on the other side of the stage. Feeling as there was nothing wrong he had seated himself next to Johnston. During this process there was some murmuring going on among the crowd present. The chief incumbent commenced his speech and said that this day was a very happy day for him and that most members of the committee contributed in erecting the bodhi but that there were two or three who who wanted to pull the leg as well. With that comment a person who was present on the occasion butted in saying, "there he is on the stage!" Just then hooting was heard from the crowd which incidentally was targeted at none other than Mr. Dayasiri Jayasekera.

Mahinda on that occasion tried this best to calm down the situation by standing up from his seat. At that moment Dayasiri had got up from his seat and had then seated himself near Mahinda Rajapaksa. Just then another shout was heard saying, "don't take him near!" As soon as the chief incumbent's speech was over, Dayasiri had got up from his seat and prepared to go off when the hooting had once again commenced. When Minister had got down from the stage and had started walking away, hooting was heard here and there and in the process a youth who was present there had posed a question "is the spine straight?" for Minister Dayasiri who was outside the iron railing covering in the festival premises. Dayasiri had then approached the youth and asked "What did you say yakko?" and had tried to get involved in an argument when another set of youth had come to the assistance of the young man and had asked the very same question from Dayasiri. The Minister's security who arrived on the scene had subsequently made the Minister get into the jeep and set off preventing the conflict going beyond bounds.