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Luxurious meditation centre used by Rajapaksas

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10 February 2015 04:52 am - 4     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Deputy Minister of Social Services, Welfare and Livestock, Ranjan Ramanayake said the luxury meditation centre which was found recently is of a historical value and was reserved only for the Rajapaksas.




People appointed the present government to eradicate corruption. But now JVP complains that sufficient action has not been taken to capture the culprits. What can you say about this?
There is a half truth in that statement. But we need to think of  the fact that we chased a dangerous dictator and an Arab Spring dawned. We appointed our own President and a Prime Minister after a long time. The Presidential swearing-in took place on the 9th of January and then the Pope arrived on the 13th. Within this short period we have been able to catch “big fish” such as Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Sajin Vas Gunawardena etc. Their passports have been impounded. This is like a trailer of a film. Await  the movie, only the trailer is out. 

Therefore I request the public not to have any doubts we will take action and put the culprits behind bars. 

We said we will take action against robbers and we will close the airports even when Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power. Now we have closed the Airport for them. Soon action will be taken.



But some were able to leave the country?
As a Journalist you should have the backbone to say the name. If you can name who that is I would reply.



Many commented and expressed their displeasure over the fact of letting former Minister Basil Rajapaksa to leave the country. What do you have to say about this?
The very next day I met the Prime Minister and asked why we let him go. What he told me was that there are no charges against Basil Rajapaksa. Within the next hour I went to the Bribery Commission and handed over all the information I had. This includes telephone recordings as well. Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa was with a Minister who is in to drug business and earned trillions of money. I think he left the country because he cannot face the consequences. He cannot escape we will take action and take him in to custody. As the national organizer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) he has misused money of this country. Also he has taken unacceptable amounts of commissions from  investors.



Few days back you raided a luxurious meditation centre. How did you get this information? Do you have concrete evidence to prove the centre belonged to a VIP? Is it true that there was a heli pad?
I have my own intelligence service. People in that are not paid they do a voluntary job.

Few days back a private media organization informed me that there was a meditation centre which was visited by only the former President, The Defence Secretary and Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka. The general public were not allowed to visit even on a poya day. Whenever journalists visit they were chased away. Also they said some expensive and rare stones which were in the harbour were brought in there. Since I am a peoples’ representative I was invited by them to inspect the place along with them.  When I went I could not believe my eyes. It is a land of eight acres. Yes there was a heli pad as well. We were told that around sixty people from the Civil Defence Force were at the premises on guard till the 8th of January. On the day we visited only three were there. Also they confirmed the fact that stones from the harbour were brought in.

The meditation premises had expensive furniture and also a library. It was revealed that the premises is of a historical value where King Walagamba stayed. Some of the villagers said there were hidden treasures. They said they heard the sound of machines being used and they suspect that occupiers must have done so to dig the treasures.We witnessed there were big craters dug. 

We are in the process of finding out whether the place was occupied with or without the permission of the Commissioner of Archaeology. It is pathetic how these people have used public funds for their own benefit.



But do you have concrete evidence to say the meditation centre was reserved for Rajapaksa’s?
Yes. The three members of the Civil Defence Force who were present there on the day we visited confirmed that the former President visited the place. They said they were paid by Rajapaksa’s. I must say I did not enter using the powers entrusted to me as a Minister. I went there on  poya day and informed them I would like to see the place. They  very cordially let me  in.



Also it was stated although you carried out the raid on the 3rd with the journalists it was not exposed until 6th of February. Is it true this was due to an order from a highly placed official? If so why is the government  trying to cover up corruption?
On the 3rd journalists from the said private media organization met me to get my comment for another matter. During that discussion  they told me about the meditation centre and said they were never allowed to go in. The moment they told me I went with them. They told me they wanted to telecast this for the evenining. news. But it was not done. 

Since it was not telecasted I asked them what happened. Then I was told that they got an order not to carry the story. I asked them whether they have any deals with Rajapaksa’s still. The official who spoke to me said yes there are certain deals going on. As media they have a responsibility to expose the truth and especially corruption where public funds have been misused.

Since they failed to reveal I released the videos I had through the social media.

 


But from whom did they get the order? Is it a highly placed government official or official in their organization?
From what they told me there are deals where Ministers from the former Government give money to cover up stories which are detrimental to them.



Don’t you think when such incidents are not being reported, the government too is trying to cover up corruption?
This is a Private channel. If a state channel was ignorant I would have taken action against it. However I have reported about the meditation centre to the Bribery Commission.



You lodged a complaint at the bribery commission against some of the Ministers of the previous government. But do you have correct and accurate information about these charges? 
When I was in the opposition I have gone to the Bribery Commission. But during that time the complaints we made were not properly inspected. However after 8th of January the officials from the Bribery Commission have visited my house five times to get information with regard to the complaints I have made.  Earlier the Bribery commission was not efficient as the President himself protected the culprits by keeping the files with him. Earlier when the complaint is made at the commission the information was leaked.

Now  things have changed and there is no body to influence the Bribery Commission.  I take the responsibility about the complaints I have made as I have evidence to prove.




Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera and Nimal Lanza have filed action against you seeking damages. What can you say about this?
They have not robbed anything that belongs to me. But they have robbed the money belonging to the people. They have built mansions with the money earned. As I said I take the responsibility of these complaints.



What do you have to say about “Matara Sunil”? What made you to be called as “Matara Sunil” in a political programme? Also as a responsible politician don’t you think you should not have done it?
When fighting against a dictatorship sometimes we have to use guerilla methods. If I called them revealing my identity they wouldn’t have given me the opportunity as the said channel belongs to a minister of the former government. 

I engage in full time politics and not part time. I saw how Mahindananda spoke. I tried the number they displayed on the screen. Therefore I called from my mobile to a person who handles the programme.  When I told I wanted to speak to Mahindananda Aluthgamage they refused to give me the opportunity. Then I said I will direct my question to Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. I did not want to question Ramesh.

With the tactics I learnt in my cinema career I changed my voice and called. After thi incident I got more information from another lady. I am grateful to all these ladies. For example now we see how Vas’s wife complain about the former first ladies’ issues. But at the same time we have seen how she got involved in assaulting Nipuna Ramanayake.Only  the ladies  know the extent to which their husbands have robbed.




For many years you have been fighting against the rights of  women who work in the Middle East. What are your plans in the future with regard to that?
From year 2000 I have been fighting for the women when I saw the suffering of women during my visit to Lebanon. When I got elected to the Parliament in 2006 I  fought for them, further.

I do not say we should not send them at all. What I say is we should send them as trained persons. Also maids should not be sent to countries which use Sharia Law in an unjustifiable way. But to factories and  hospitals we can send them after giving training.

Government would not stop sending maids, instead they would focus more  on sending people who are trained.


This is like a trailer of a film. Await  the movie, only the trailer  is out. Therefore I request the public not to have any doubts we will  take action and put the culprits behind bars. We said we  will take action against robbers and we will close the airports even  when Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power. Now we have closed the Airport for  them. Soon action will be taken.


 





Since I am a peoples’ representative I was invited by them to inspect the place along with them.  When I went I could not believe my eyes. It is a land of eight acres. Yes there was a heli pad as well. We were told that around sixty people from the Civil Defence Force were at the premises on guard till the 8th of January. On the day we visited only three were there. Also they confirmed the fact that stones from the harbour were brought in.

Video

 


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  Comments - 4

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  • Appuhamy Tuesday, 10 February 2015 04:49 PM

    Appreciate the good work you plan to do re corrupt politicians. Keep it up.

    DayaWeerasinghe Tuesday, 10 February 2015 05:58 PM

    I am tired of all this bla,bla,bla about coruptions and crap.....make an arrest......make us believe theres justice,law and order in Sri Lanka.

    ana Tuesday, 10 February 2015 06:16 PM

    All are not having the word power, you must earn it ,country is not a private property , matured people behave in a different way than you. Your need is good but the way too harsh.Should not compare with developed countries, they know how to use the vote. they are a nation. First we must think as one nation, let MS to do and full fill the the needs.Do not think this countrymen watch a movie.

    basilluxkan Wednesday, 11 February 2015 05:22 AM

    just fyi please


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