Sri Lanka, June 23 -- Industrial Exports and Investment Promotion Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said yesterday that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution did not benefit the country in any way, and that the former 'Yahapalana' government destroyed the country by hiding behind it.

The minister said this in response to the allegations made by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who charged that the present government is diluting the 19th Amendment.

He added that the 19th Amendment was brought to achieve the narrow political agendas of the former coalition government, and not for the betterment of the country. There were a number of hidden objectives when they appointed Independent Commissions, and one of the main targets was destro...