Plantations and Community Development Minister Samantha Vidyarathna has vowed that the era of the underworld, once fueled by corrupt politics, is over for good. Speaking at a ceremony in Hatton, he said the country is finally on a path to eradicate organized crime and restore discipline.
Minister Vidyarathna stressed that the deep-rooted ties between politics and organized crime have been broken. “Even if a lamp burns for a while, it eventually goes out. That is what has happened to the underworld and corrupt politics,” he explained, pointing out that in the past, criminal networks thrived because they were nourished by political power.
He added that Sri Lanka’s underworld was not confined to local operations but had extended to an international level. “Now, there is no womb for an underworld to be born again. Corrupt politics is over. The people can see clearly that there is no forgiveness for the underworld anymore,” he said.
The Minister noted that intelligence agencies have already begun tracing and recovering weapons and assets hidden during previous governments. “When we search for underworld treasures, some of them go to the homes of former presidents, ministers, and members of parliament. That was the womb of the underworld. But no one is above the law. Whether a minister or a former president, the law applies equally to all.”
He admitted that restoring order will take time but assured the public that systematic measures are being enforced. “It does not take long to crush the underworld, but the time cannot be specified. What matters is that we are cleaning it one by one, step by step,” he explained.
Beyond crime, Vidyarathna also highlighted the importance of discipline and standards in society, particularly in public transportation. He said the government is introducing new safety regulations for buses and drivers despite resistance. “For the safety of passengers, we have to move towards standard buses and disciplined systems. This is not something that can be done overnight, but we are determined to correct the wrong path Sri Lanka has been on for 76 years.”
His message was clear: the underworld thrived because politics protected it, but in today’s Sri Lanka, that protection no longer exists.
