Social media has critical role to play

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), at the launch of its Facebook page, stressed that the media including social media had a critical role to play in educating the masses today. Addressing the function to mark the event, party chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris said his party would fight both politically and legally against the planned move by the government to muzzle the web media. He said such a move would contravene the right to freedom of expression guaranteed in the Constitution under Article 14. “We will resist the move politically. At the same time, we will move the Supreme Court against it,” he said. Two other university academics - Jagath Wellawatte of the Colombo University and Mahinda Pathirane of the Sabaragamuwa University- addressed the function. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had also congratulated the new party on the occasion.