Who funded the Thirupathi pilgrimage?

by Staff Writer 30-12-2021 | 8:01 AM

COLOMBO (News 1st); Several members of Sri Lanka's Opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) expressed their views in the political arena on Wednesday (29) regarding the mysterious jet that landed in Ratmalana and then travelled to Tirupati, India.

Colombo District MP for Samagi Jana Balawegaya Mujibur Rahman pointed out that the Prime Minister of the country decides to go to Tirupati on a private jet amidst the nation is in chaos and nobody questions the purpose of his visit.

The MP was puzzled as to why this jet arrived to Ratmalana, all the way from Uganda by spending a huge sum of money just to take the Premier from Sri Lanka to Tirupati and how come the Prime Minister's son is unaware of the secret benefactor for the journey.

MP Mujibur Rahman said, '' Keep in mind that there is no Custom Office or Immigration and Emigration Office in Ratmalana. So why did this jet take off from Ratmalana?''.

The Kurunegala District MP for the SJB, Nalin Bandara questioned as to whether whom are they lying to because the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff - Yoshitha Rajapaksa said that the jet in question was given by an unknown person.

The MP noted if a Sri Lankan citizen wants to carry Dollars when travelling abroad, only 100 USD is allowed which is close to Rs. 20,000 - Rs. 22,000.

" Some unknown force has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Rajapaksas to go on pilgrimage to Tirupati, and nobody knows whether these benefactors are either crooks, scoundrels, thieves, or even devils, " said MP Bandara.

Meanwhile Former MP and Chief Executive of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Ajith P. Perera said that Yoshitha Rajapaksa is a State official who gets paid by the state and the Chief of Staff of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and how as to he can say that this jet was given to the Premier by an unknown person.

He added that this incident can be viewed as corruption according to the law of the country and the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption must launch an investigation into the matter.