Karunartne commented to the media in Colombo regarding eastern province CM Nasir Ahmed reproaching Navy Capt. Ranjith Premaratne at a function at Sampur Central College.

Nasir has said he had to remind the Navy officer about protocol after he had prevented him from getting onto the stage.

Organized by the Navy, no official invitations had been made neither to him nor the provincial education minister, he said, adding that governor Austin Fernando had asked him to the stage.

Commenting further, Karunartne said this incident showed the gravity of existing weaknesses and a blow to the devolution of powers to the PCs.

He said holding state ceremonies without the CM, who represents especially the Muslim and Tamil communities, should not have been allowed, and described it as an insult to the PC system.

Karunaratne also said it was not becoming of Nasir to respond publicly in an inappropriate manner to the wrong done to him.

Instead, he should take to the path being followed by north CM C.V. Vigneswaran, who is recognized locally and internationally due to his ideological struggle, he said.