He added that he plans to summon the owners of local print media to warn them against attempting to create communal disharmony in the country.

Wickremesinghe said at a public event that he will also invite media rights groups to attend the meeting for them to raise concerns they have over the owners of the local media.

“If any media head does not come I will see to it,” the Prime Minister charged.
He also urged the public to stage an “occupy” style protest at the office of any newspaper if it promotes hatred among communities.

The Prime Minister said that some Sinhalese language newspapers have been publishing reports which give the impression that there is an attempt by the LTTE to revive its activities in Sri Lanka.

He added that some heads of these media as well as several journalists were in the payroll of the former government while serving in the respective newspapers.
Wickremesinghe also alleged that some newspaper owners have been backing former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and are now looking to discredit the new government.

He said that some newspapers had attempted to remove him from politics but they failed over the past 10 years and later they attempted to ensure Mahinda Rajapaksa won the Presidential elections last month, but he lost.

Wickremesinghe said that while he has no issue with any newspaper backing Mahinda Rajapaksa at the next election, he will have an issue with anyone attempting to create communal disharmony.

He also said that some newspaper owners who have the support of Mahinda Rajapaksa are big businessmen and have a stake in the Colombo Stock Market, but he will look to remove them from the Stock Market.