- Note that the above image was AI generated
In a dramatic protest, New People’s Front leaders stormed the Ministry of Trade carrying bananas, milk, honey, and clothes—mocking Wasantha Samarasinghe as a political “actor” who deceived supporters for 25 years while secretly amassing wealth. Their stunt called on the public to stop being fooled by millionaires posing as champions of the poor.
A fiery protest unfolded at the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development when New People’s Front leaders staged a symbolic act to expose what they called the “double life” of politician Wasantha Samarasinghe. Colombo District Leader Dinesh Abeykoon, Moratuwa Electoral Organizer Sumith Chandralal Fernando, Dehiwala Co-Organizer Amila Cooray, and Saman Ranatunga arrived carrying bananas, milk, honey, and clothes, announcing they had brought these items to hand over to Samarasinghe as the so-called “people’s businessman.”
The protestors ridiculed Samarasinghe as a man deserving an “award for best actor,” accusing him of deceiving Sri Lankans for over 25 years. While presenting himself as a defender of the proletariat, they alleged that his asset and liability declarations exposed him as coming from a privileged background. According to them, Samarasinghe had somehow amassed wealth worth 28 lakhs without running any business, despite claiming to survive on donations of milk, bananas, and clothes provided by supporters.
Protest leaders charged that those very supporters now feel betrayed, having discovered that the man they trusted was secretly wealthy. They compared Samarasinghe to other JVP heavyweights such as Bimal Ratnayake, Lalkantha, and Sunil Handunnetthi, accusing them all of living as millionaires while posing as defenders of the oppressed.
The protestors further mocked the JVP’s small cadre base, which they claimed survives on Rs. 100 donations while their leaders live comfortably. They urged grassroots members not to waste their money supporting “millionaire politicians in disguise,” but instead to spend their hard-earned Rs. 100 on their own children’s nutrition.
In closing, the group called on the public to stop being fooled by Wasantha Samarasinghe’s narrative and to see him not as a savior of the working class, but as a “political actor” who has enriched himself at their expense.
