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Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha called on former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe this week.

Both the former leaders were not afforded opportunities to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited earlier this month, but the High Commissioner took the time to call on them to make amends. It was clear that the visitor did not want to dilute the ‘connectivity’ with President A.K. Dissanayake. The only other VIP afforded a chance to meet him was Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa—and it was seen as strictly a protocol matter during such visits.

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha meets former president Mahinda Rajapaksa

‘High Commissioner @santjha and former President @PresRajapaksa exchanged views on the versatile and dynamic India-Sri Lanka partnership in the context of global developments. HC also briefed him on the recent advancements in India-Lanka ties,” the official X handle of the High Commission in Colombo said.

On the meeting with Mr. Wickremesinghe, the Indian High Commission said the High Commissioner briefed him “on the recent developments in the bilateral partnership. Also had a useful exchange of views on the shared history between India and Sri Lanka, as well as on the limitless potential of a shared future.”

Attending funerals: Then and now

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath left for Vatican City on Friday to attend Pope Francis’ funeral that was held yesterday.

However, his decision to represent Sri Lanka at the Pope’s funeral has been met with recollection of past comments made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and some others in the NPP. They criticised former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for attending the funerals of Queen Elizabeth II and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, both in 2022.

“Suppose it is all right to spend public funds to attend funerals now?” critics queried on the unforgiving social media.

Deputy Minister displays Tai Chi skills

Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Deputy Education Minister Madura Seneviratne participated in an event held to mark World Tai Chi Day in Colombo yesterday.

Mr. Seneviratne joined the ambassador in displaying his Tai Chi skills. Tai Chi is a martial art form that originated in China and is now popular around the world. The event was jointly hosted by the Chinese Embassy and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of Sri Lanka in coordination with the Sri Lanka Health Qigong Association and the Wushu Federation of Sri Lanka to celebrate the spirit of Tai Chi and promote cultural exchange between the two nations.

SJB MPs at Pope’s funeral

Samagi Jana Balawegaya parliamentarians Kavinda Jayawardena and Hector Appuhamy were also in Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. They carried a message of condolences from Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to be handed over to the church authorities there.

Namal visits Chamara in jail amid polls campaign in Badulla

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna parliamentarian Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, who is in remand custody at the Badulla prison, had a visitor this week.

It was SLPP parliamentary group leader Namal Rajapaksa. He paid the jailed MP a visit while campaigning for the upcoming local council election in the area. Mr. Dassanayake, one of a handful of SLPP MPs re-elected in the last General Election, has been one of the most vocal voices in Parliament against the NPP government.

Meanwhile former President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appear before the Bribery Commission tomorrow (28 April) over a statement he made in defence of Mr. Dassanayake.

The former president said that Mr. Dassanayake withdrew the fixed deposits belonging to the Uva Provincial Council—over which he is now facing corruption charges—in accordance with a circular issued during his tenure as the prime minister. The CIABOC has now summoned the former president to question him over this statement.

Big talk on digitalisation, but lagging behind in web security

The Public Security Ministry found itself in a digital pickle this week after a mischievous hacker slipped obscene references onto the ministry website’s landing page.

On Thursday, a sharp-eyed X user shared a screenshot showing explicit language nestled under the ‘Secretary’ label—and those who dared to click were either met with an error page or, according to some users, whisked away to X-rated video sites.

Though the offending material was eventually scrubbed following widespread social media mockery, the ministry has yet to acknowledge the breach or explain how it happened.

Cyber intrusions are not new to Sri Lanka’s government websites, but if this administration plans to go ahead with digitalisation and AI ambitions, it might first want to start with the basics, like website security.

Copped for drunk driving: President’s Counsel ‘courts’ punishment

Police recently stopped a vehicle in Kollupitiya at night, and a breathalyser test revealed the driver had consumed alcohol.

The man was hauled up before the traffic court. When the Court Mudliyar called out the suspect’s name, lawyers looked up startled because the name was familiar to many. They saw a well-known President’s Counsel about to step into the dock. Several rushed to his side, and one junior lawyer even grabbed his arm, telling him not to step into the dock.

However, the senior lawyer brushed their objections aside and stepped into the dock, saying he needed no special privileges.
When the judge asked the accused how he pleaded, the President’s Counsel pleaded guilty to the charge. He had consumed a glass of vodka at a party and had been behind the wheel when police had stopped him. As such, he was prepared to suffer his punishment, he said.

He paid the Rs. 25,000 fine imposed on him, without defending his own case.

Lalkantha sees ghosts in council-run cemeteries

Addressing a National People’s Power (NPP) election meeting on Thursday, Agriculture Minister Lal Kantha spoke about many problems at the local government level.

He said the cemetery of the local Pradeshiya Sabha was usually a jungle, meaning it is overgrown with wild plants. “We are afraid to even pass by the place because we are fearful the place is inhabited by ghosts,” he said.

Minister Lal Kantha added that some villagers who don’t usually touch a drop of alcohol get drunk to go home at night because they have to pass such cemeteries along the way. “They drink to shore up their courage because they think there are ghosts in such places,” he told the meeting.

Transport Ministry crashes under the weight of resignations

Motor Traffic Commissioner General Nishantha Anuruddha Weerasingha resigned earlier this week. He joins a long list of officials who resigned from top posts in institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation in the past few months.

Kamal Amarasinghe, a Special Grade Officer in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service with strong links to the ruling party, has been appointed in his place. Among those who previously resigned from institutions coming under Minister Bimal Ratnayake are Sri Lanka Transport Board Chairman Ramal Siriwardena, National Transport Commission Chairman Dr. Bandula Dileepa Vitharana, and National Transport Medical Institute (NTMI) Chairman Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni.

Police evict journalist covering court; probe demanded

Government Information Director General H.S.K.J. Bandara has written to the Police Chief, urging him to launch a probe into an incident where M.S.M. Fazeer, Secretary of the Young Journalists Association and court reporter, was forcibly removed from the Kuliyapitiya Magistrate’s Court by police while covering court proceedings.

The incident happened while he was covering a case involving the torture of a suspect in police custody.

Media rights groups have condemned the police actions and have called for probe.

EC frowns on positive comments from Dalada devotees

The Exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic when an election is around the corner has drawn some criticism, and the Election Commission too has been alert as complaints have come in about possible election law violations.

The complaints cover comments made by devotees who are being allegedly urged to praise the government. In the wake of the complaints, the EC has directed that no such sound bites be aired on television or radio or be published until the conclusion of the local council elections on May 6. However, observers say the instructions are certainly going to be observed in the breach.

Schoolboy pulls a fast one in Dalada queue

With day-long queues making a comeback in Sri Lanka thanks to the Dalada Vandanawa this week, one ingenious 18-year-old tried to outsmart temple and law enforcement officials by putting on a monk’s robes to get in a shorter line.

The schoolboy, hailing from Gampaha, was arrested for impersonating a Buddhist monk to try and visit the exposition of the tooth relic in a shorter and faster-moving VIP line set apart for monks. Investigations into the incident are underway.