Wijemuni Vijitha Rohana de Silva, the Sri Lankan naval rating, who shot into fame after he hit Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with a rifle butt here on July 30, 1987 in protest against the India-Lanka Accord, is among thousands of Lankans who have signed a petition against the 13th Amendment (13A) of the country’s constitution.
The Tamil daily ‘Sudar Oli’ reported that Wijemuni signed the petition at Nugegoda, a suburb of Colombo, on Wednesday. He is president of the Traders’ Association of Nugegoda.
The petition, drafted by Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa, is against holding elections to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) in September this year, without first pruning the 13A to exclude land and police from the purview of provincial governments.
Wijemuni was only 22 when he hit Rajiv on the shoulder as the Indian leader was inspecting a Guard of Honour presented by a Lankan naval contingent, of which he was part.
Though Wijemuni was defended by a galaxy of nationalist lawyers at the Court Martial, he was sentenced to six years in jail. However, President Premadasa pardoned him two and half years later as he shared Wijemuni’s animosity towards the India-Lanka Accord.
