"Ministers who leaked RAW canard must be exposed"

18 October 2018 09:10 pm - 18 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Four cabinet Ministers who had told the canard that President Mithripala Sirisena at Tuesday's cabinet meeting had incriminated India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for an attempt on his life, to the Hindu Newspaper Colombo Correspondent Meera Srinuivasan must be exposed and they themselves must come forward and admit the blunder and apologize, Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said today.

“We have no intention to press journalists to reveal their source. But it is quite obvious that certain cabinet ministers have given this false information to the media. The government must go to the bottom of the false propaganda and expose the four Ministers who misled the media, the public and the government. There is no doubt that the false news item has been planted in the media to create a misunderstanding between Colombo and New Delhi and also to harm the centuries old cultural, trade, religious and social links between India and Sri Lanka. That is a thorough inquiry is necessary to find the origin of this fabrication and purpose behind it,” Minister Samarasinghe noted.

“It is better the cabinet Ministers who gave the misleading information to journalists come forward, accept their blunder and apologise because the repercussions of the false news item is extremely serious and affect the cordial links of two neighboring countries,” he added.

He charged that media reports on remarks allegedly made by President Sirisena incriminating the RAW for an attempt to assassinate him was a complete fabrication aimed at creating a division between President Sirisena and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two countries and added the issue will be fully discussed at the next cabinet meeting.

Minister Samarasinghe said a highly perturbed President Sirisena spoke to Prime Minister Modi and explained to him the true position on Wednesday afternoon and added that New Delhi issued a statement to pacify the situation after that.

On face value of the news item published in 'Hindu' the leading Indian national Newspaper, four ministers had reportedly told Colombo Correspondent of Hindu Meera Sirinivasan that President Sirisena had told the Ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday that there had been an attempt on his life involving the RAW. It was an unfounded and absolute lie, Minister Samarasinghe stressed.

Addressing the weekly SLFP news briefing at the party office yesterday, Minister Samarasinghe said the matter was extremely serious and needed thorough investigation to find out the truth and the motive behind the canard.

President Sirisena was highly upset on these negative developments. He spent the entire day, Wednesday to calm down the situation because the false propaganda involves two neighboring and friendly countries, he noted.

Responding to a journalist on the question whether four Ministers could say the same story, Minister Samarasinghe asked could any one reject the statements issued on this issue explaining the correct position by Indian government, Presidential Secretariat, Cabinet office and Foreign Ministry.

Minister Samarasasinghe said President Sirisena also met the Indian High Commissioner, Taranjit Singh Sandhu and explained to him the correct situation. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

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Comments - 18

Zub Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:36 PM

We the public was not there at this meeting, why don't you expose them rather than they coming forward. We don't believe any of you guys nor the President

Nihal Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:45 PM

MS is not intelligent enough to Run as a PRESIDENT RW is a Number One ****** and wants to be as Future PRESIDENT MS got hooked by CUNNING RW

Gamaya Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:02 PM

Oh M Sam! Why don't you expose whoever it is. Or do you want us to EXPOSE YOU : one of Sri Lanka's greatest political turn coats!

kumar Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:02 PM

first the Prez has to vouch exactly what was stated by him then hand over the matter to CID to investigate the claim made by Mahinda Samarasinghe.

Gamaya Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:12 PM

Why Mr M Sam? Can't you expose them? After all you are now Siri's loyal acolyte - are you not? Regardless, all this reveals that SIra is NOT Presidential material.He must say goodbye come 2020.

Dee Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:38 PM

This useless guy has no support in his own seat. Just runs around in his 7 series in adjoining seats trying to gain support. What more can we expect from him. Go try developing the eastern port and ruin that too!

Wise Donkey Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:08 PM

This is not the first time such a blunder was made by the lokka.

DHA Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:11 PM

How can you call it a blunder while the investigation is still going on ?

666 Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:54 PM

Since the matter is of a very serious nature, why not make a proper investigation covering all the ministers who attended the meeting. Then we would know who is telling the truth and who is lying.

Ralahamy Friday, 19 October 2018 07:41 AM

Do you want to waste public money on this. This is another Red Herring to divert the attention of the General Public from burning issues.

DJ Friday, 19 October 2018 12:54 AM

Whoever leaked this info should be sacked as they are not patriots of our country. Bloody rebel rouses and sick in their heads

Ghost Friday, 19 October 2018 06:47 AM

Damage control causing further damage!!!

ravin Friday, 19 October 2018 07:22 AM

We all know how former manage to manipulate opposition parties by planting traitors and got information leaked out . So cant it happen now? Do a immediate investigation on your own cabinet got hold of the traitor and kick his/her ass out even form your own party. That may help the country as whole.

joshua Friday, 19 October 2018 07:44 AM

Whenever Our good old President opens the mouth, it is only a verbal loose motion.

Jim Friday, 19 October 2018 08:04 AM

Here comes another canard.

sobers Friday, 19 October 2018 08:44 AM

This is a highly sensitive issue.If the Ministers have fabricated the story then they should be sacked. Any sensible person knows inteligence services will not act like idiots. They are highly secretive. Our public is alspo very stupid. In the betterment of Sri lanka, we need to be careful. The root cause has to be investigated. Who knows, even the four MP's may be under the payroll of a hostile country to India!

Kingsley Wijesinhe Friday, 19 October 2018 08:57 AM

Never believe anything until the government denies it.

Anthony Friday, 19 October 2018 08:58 AM

MAIN ISSUE HERE IS THE PRESIDENT AND MINISTERS SPEAKS IN SINHALESE AND THE JOURNALIST MAKE THE BLUNDER WHEN TRANSLATING TO ENGLISH.AS THEIR ENGLISH KNOWLEDGE LET IR BE POLITICIANS OR JOURNALIST IS POOR. THIS IS WHERE ALL THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS HAPPEN

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"Ministers who leaked RAW canard must be exposed"

Comments - 18

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