SriLanka, Nov. 15 -- Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake dismissed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's budgetary proposal to pursue offshore oil and gas exploration in the Mannar Basin as unrealistic.

Speaking during today's budget debate, Dassanayake noted that successive governments have mooted the proposal since 1975 without it ever seeing the light of day.

He pointed out that the current rulers, while in the opposition, had criticized the idea of upstream petroleum development during the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"We won't stand in your way if you try, but you will never extract oil and gas from the Mannar Basin during the remainder of your term," he said.

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