Namal Rajapaksa alleges a calculated attempt to use arrests, courts, and state institutions to shield a major coal scandal, warning that public money is being spent to turn old political lies into manufactured “truths.”
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna National Organizer and Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa has accused the government of attempting to arrest him and his mother as part of a broader effort to cover up what he described as a massive coal scam. Speaking to journalists during the Village to Village program in Kamburupitiya, Matara, Rajapaksa said individuals who lied and accepted money during the so called good governance era are now trying to validate those lies by misusing the courts, police, and the Attorney General’s Department at the expense of taxpayers.
He explained that the Village to Village program is currently being carried out across several constituencies in the Matara district, aimed at strengthening the party at the grassroots level. According to him, the venerable Maha Sangha also visited during the program to offer blessings, and meetings with party members are continuing to consolidate political organization at village level.
“Today, the village-to-village program is being held in several constituencies in the Matara district. Accordingly, during the village-to-village program, the venerable Maha Sangha also came to visit and seek blessings. So, as usual, today and tomorrow, we will meet our party members at the village level and move forward politically by strengthening ourselves at the village level.”
Rajapaksa said similar grassroots efforts during the Pradeshiya Sabha elections helped his party establish itself as a strong political force, securing a large number of votes. He claimed that many figures who played a role in forming the good governance administration are now openly admitting in the media that money was spent to smear the Rajapaksa government, and that those involved are naming the organizations and political parties linked to these campaigns.
“In the same way, during the Pradeshiya Sabha elections, we established ourselves as a strong force. We got a large number of votes. We think that in the coming period, especially in the future, the lies that this government told then and we see that many people who were instrumental in building the good governance government are coming to the media today and stating that they spent money to smear the Rajapaksa government and the people who took that money. They are also telling about which organizations and which political parties. So that is how this lie is being spread in the society.”
He alleged that those who took money and lied in the past are now attempting to prove those lies as facts by spending public funds through legal and law enforcement institutions. Rajapaksa warned that this approach would ultimately weaken the entire state system and that those responsible would be held accountable.
“But those who took money and lied during the good governance era, today have to prove that the lies they told were true by spending public money in the courts, the police and They are trying to use the Attorney General’s Department. So, the entire country, society, and the entire state machinery will collapse. One day, they will have to answer for this too.”
He described this as the biggest misuse of public resources, claiming that character assassination, socializing falsehoods, and spreading hatred, jealousy, hypocrisy, and anger are being combined with the misuse of taxpayers’ money to sustain political deception. Addressing struggling citizens, he urged them to recognize who ultimately bears the cost of these actions.
Rajapaksa also referred to recent controversies surrounding education reforms, claiming unsuitable content was included in school textbooks, causing public backlash. He said attention is now shifting to what he called a major fraud involving coal imports, accusing the government of attempting to downplay the issue by paying a small fine while ignoring the real allegation of importing inferior coal.
He claimed that when questions are raised about the coal issue, summonses are issued calling opposition figures to the CID. He also referred to recent statements by the Minister of Justice suggesting arrests in January, describing these as part of a broader attempt to intimidate critics.
“Even if we bring my mother to the CID or put her in jail, the government’s coal scam is destroying the religion and culture of this country, the injustice done to the Maha Sangha and the religious leaders, on the other hand, they are selling containers, selling drug containers, on the other hand, they are giving fake checks to cheat the helpless people who have been affected by the disaster, and they are coming back without the money in those checks, so they cannot cover it.”
Rajapaksa accused the government of exploiting youth and teachers during election periods and then abandoning them after coming to power. He said teachers who continued teaching children instead of joining protests are now being punished, despite ongoing teacher shortages.
He further claimed that officials who do not act according to the government’s agenda face transfers, arrests, or intimidation, citing past cases involving senior public servants. Questioning accountability, he asked whether the law applies equally when checks issued at official ceremonies later bounce due to lack of funds.
Rajapaksa stressed that his party does not engage in violent, anti people politics but believes no government can deceive the public indefinitely. He said elections must be held at the earliest opportunity, arguing that a country cannot be governed through false promises, bounced checks, and staged ceremonies.
Concluding his remarks, he briefly addressed cricket, urging politicians to stay away from interfering with players ahead of the World Cup. He said the focus should be on mentally strengthening players, as the country faces far more serious political and economic challenges.
