Anura B responds

Last week’s political commentary has prompted Anura Bandaranaike M.P to write to the Editor of The Sunday Times.

Dated last Tuesday (February 20), when Bandaranaike was only a parliamentarian waiting in a mighty hurry to be sworn in again as a Minister, the letter was hand written on a letter-head which bore the title “Minister of Tourism” under his name. Even if the whole country and the world outside were aware he no longer held that portfolio, Bandaranaike seemed unaware. First to the relevant parts of the meandering letter of this M.P. extraordinaire:

“Sans a (sic) English typist, I am hand writing this letter. Your article of the Sunday Times of February 18, 2007 Page 4 titled ‘CLOWN PRINCE BACK IN THE CIRCUS” is a venomous, diabolical and vicious piece, that can only emanate from a demented mind.

1) You say that I “cried” and apologized to the President for attacking his family and Government. There were 3 witnesses, Governor Alavi Mowlana, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Basil Rajapaksa. On the contrary, the President embraced and kissed me and never referred to my references to his family. No tears flowed from my ‘chubby cheeks.’ It was a most cordial meeting full of jokes, as it was on my birthday, the next day, where the President spent 2 hours !!!You say that Mr. Basil Rajapaksa said I was a US passport holder. He never said it as I have never held a US passport !! It is true that I have travelled to the USA more than Mr. Basil Rajapaksa and that does not make me a US citizen !! No apologies were requested and none given. Your imagination seem to be running berserk!

About the date of swearing in – it was unanimously decided to hold it the following week and the President requested me to find a good date and time! Your piffel (sic) is pathetic.

As stated by you, my bullet proof vehicle was never removed or even asked for. I have no wish to hang on to ‘Visumpaya’, unlike G.L. Peiris. When my private residence is fully repaired,

I shall gladly go back. Many Ministers of the Cabinet who have more than one residence in Colombo, live in state houses.

Regarding my conversation with Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Sec/Def. I need not refer to my 37 year friendship with the President. He knows it well! Gotabhaya restored my security without hesitation and Never said he had orders from the ‘top’. He was extremely cordial and friendly, and gave instructions to the security officials immediately.

Note by the Political Editor
Mr. Bandaranaike’s ire and irritation at last week’s political commentary is clearly understandable. One can only sympathize with him for the pathetic predicament he has placed himself in – and making a spectacle of the process.

He has a countrywide reputation for saying things and denying them later, doing things and claiming he did not do them and in the process claiming he is always right. It would require tons of newsprint to catalogue these instances. Suffice to say The Sunday Times stands by its entire account, tears flowing from chubby cheeks and all, despite all the chest thumping by Mr. Bandaranaike.
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One Mr. Pradeep Amirthanayagam has also written to The Sunday Times about Mr. Anura Bandaranaike’s birthday party on February 15:

“I write with reference to the above column wherein you have stated that the Mr. Ravi Karunanayake M.P. came uninvited to the Birthday Party hosted by Mr. Anura Bandaranaike M.P on Thursday 15th February 2007.

This is totally incorrect, as it was none other than Mr. Anura Bandaranaike who entrusted me with the task of inviting several people, two of whom happened to be Mr. Ravi Karunanayake and his wife.

I am sure that someone has misled you on this story as there is no element of truth whatsoever. Please be kind enough to correct this story as it has caused much embarrassment to both parties concerned.

Note by the Political Editor:
So, now we know who gave poor Mr. Ravi Karunanayake MP a second-hand invite.