Basil Rajapaksa and His Fall That Sparked a Meme Storm
Colombo/USA – May 2025 — Basil Rajapaksa, the former Finance Minister of Sri Lanka and a prominent member of the powerful Rajapaksa political dynasty, is once again in the spotlight. This time not for economic policy or political controversy, but for an unfortunate fall from a chair while in the United States.
According to reports, Basil who was scheduled to appear in a Sri Lankan court has cited his hospitalization following the incident as the reason for his inability to travel. Legal representatives have informed authorities that he is under medical supervision after sustaining injuries from the fall, and is currently unfit to fly or appear in person.
However, Sri Lankan social media, never one to miss a beat, quickly latched onto the incident with the same level of sarcasm and satire that has followed the Rajapaksa name in recent years. Within hours, a meme featuring a chair and a crow began making the rounds, with the caption – “Kaputa hit the floor.”
This quip is a cheeky evolution of Basil’s now-iconic phrase “Kaputas hit the plane”, which he famously uttered during a televised interview while attempting to explain the dangers of bird strikes in aviation. Mixing Sinhala and English mid-sentence, Basil’s explanation went viral across the island and sparked endless parody, as he tried to describe a crows (kaputas) hitting an aircraft mid flight. That soundbite became so infamous it was even quoted in political skits and street protests.
Now, with his literal fall from a chair, Sri Lankans have cheekily suggested that karma or the crow has struck again.
Who Is Basil Rajapaksa?
Basil is the younger brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former President and Prime Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He has held several key ministerial posts over the years, including that of Economic Development and Finance. Often seen as the strategist and power broker within the Rajapaksa camp, Basil played a central role in shaping the family’s political dominance in the post-war years.
However, his tenure has not been without controversy. He has faced criticism over allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and disproportionate political influence earning both admiration from loyalists and ridicule from critics.
