Gotabaya orders probe

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has promised a top-level inquiry into the grenade incident and asked for a detailed complaint with regard to this attack as well as all attacks against the SLMC, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya told the Sunday Times.

The Defence Secretary requested that if there are any suspicions as to who may be carrying out these attacks, those too should be mentioned, Dr. Padeniya said, explaining that the complaint has to be sent to the Defence Secretary himself, with a copy to the IGP N.K. Illangakoon.

It was during the meeting that the GMOA members held with police top brass on Friday that they were linked with both the Defence Secretary and the IGP through the phone as both were out of Colombo. The meeting at Police Headquarters on Friday had been with Western Province Senior DIG (Administration) Gamini Navaratne and other officials.

While assuring a high-level inquiry to trace the culprits, the Defence Secretary also promised security to all SLMC members, Dr. Padeniya said, adding that security would include police protection and mobile patrols.

Recalling the series of attacks against the SLMC and its members, the GMOA President said that in 2002, when there were moves to set up a private medical college at Piliyandala, the home of then SLMC President Dr. H.H.R. Samarasinghe was bombed while then SLMC Registrar Prof. P.S.S. Panditharatne’s home was fired at. There were also attempts to burn the SLMC office.

In 2011, current Registrar Dr. N.J. Nonis was attacked, Dr. Padeniya said, pointing out that the GMOA also brought to the notice of the Defence Secretary the issues with regard to the Malabe Private Medical Faculty including the fine it had to pay to the Urban Development Authority (UDA), the head of which is Mr. Rajapaksa.

“The SLMC is an independent Government institution and working against the SLMC is working against the Government,” Dr. Padeniya added.

Meanwhile, the 24-hour doctors’ strike called by the GMOA in protest against the grenade attack ended last morning at 8.