State Minister Ranjan shocked over UNP's decision to conduct probe over remarks on cocaine

State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake has said that he is shocked over his party's decision to initiate investigations over his recent  remarks on the alleged  consumption of cocaine by Ministers and Parliamentarians.

"The UNP has misunderstood what I meant. I did not level these allegations against any single party" he told Times Online adding that he levelled these charges against most Parliamentarians in the joint opposition.

On the same lines he noted that the parliamentarians representing the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) were not involved in such offences.

Commenting on the strong criticism  levelled against him, Mr. Ramanayake said that he is not disturbed and would continue his campaign against drugs. He also pointed out that his recent remarks were subjected to criticism during today's party leaders meeting as well.

Speaking further he told Times Online that a defamatory case has been filed by Minister P. Digambaram seeking Rs 200 million in compensation from Arumugam Thondaman who had claimed that the former was under the influence of cocaine.

"This itself proves that my remarks levelled against cabinet ministers in this regard, is true" Deputy Minister Ramanayake remarked.