Youth clubs used for political agendas during their time: Minister responds to Ranil

Colombo, August 10 (Daily Mirror) - Responding to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe's claims on youth clubs, Youth Affairs Deputy Minister Eranga Gunasekara said today that the National Youth Council and the youth clubs were used for political agendas during their time and that the government is only trying to free the National Youth Council and the youth clubs from political mechanisms and provide opportunities for the talented youth to come forward.

Making a special statement, the Deputy Minister said the National Youth Council was used for political agendas during the last Presidential election where millions of its funds were used to boost Wickremesinghe's image.

He said Rs. 536 million from the National Youth Council was used for musical shows targeting the last Presidential election and the Attorney General's report has stated that there has been a fraud of Rs. 68 million.

The Deputy Minister said Youth clubs were politicised during their time where Tharindu Naveen was appointed as UNP organiser for Galagedara by Palitha Range Bandara in 2024, while Naveen was the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Federation of Youth Clubs and millions of youth council funds were used for their political agendas.

He said the government has created youth clubs in over 12,000 Grama Niladari Divisions and held district conferences and is planning to hold the National Youth Conference on August 12.

He said that the National Youth Conference had not been held for 32 years.

He said Ranil Wickremesinghe is trying to gain control of the opposition leadership and is making various statements now and added that the opposition is also trying to divert the actions being taken against politicians engaged in fraud and corruption.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, who made a special statement urged the Minister in charge of youth affairs and sports not to allow political parties to gain control of youth clubs.