- SriLankan Airlines official confirms no cases of food poisoning reported
- Was Minister Ranasinghe’s claim aimed at gaining public sympathy?
Former Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe whilst addressing a May Day rally in Ampara, Sri Lanka claimed that he felt sick no sooner he disembarked from a flight to Japan and had to be hospitalized due to consuming food that was contaminated. He went on to say that was the reason he was silent for over 45 days.
MP Ranasinghe, despite narrating his ordeal, did not specifically state if the spiked food was consumed in flight or if it was some other food he had consumed prior to embarking on his journey to Japan.
The video clip of his speech aired by a local television station, shows Ranasinghe speaking in the vernacular. When translated into English it means “I had to be silent for one and a half months. When I went to Japan and got off the aircraft my physical condition started deteriorating gradually. From the medical tests done in Japan, it became evidently clear it was due to consuming food that contained poison. After I was cured of that and on my way back to Sri Lanka from Japan by flight, I was once again unable to pass even a drop of urine, I had to suffer due to that. The reason is that someone put poison in my food and I consumed it unknowingly and due to that fact, I was sick for 45 days.”
In response to the claims of poisoning, an official from Sri Lankan Airlines speaking to The Morning Telegraph, said that the airline had not received any complaints from passengers regarding illness caused by contaminated food consumed during flights, especially on the Japanese flight sector.
MP Ranasinghe, once a relatively unnoticed member of parliament, found himself thrust into the spotlight after being appointed as the Minister of Sports, succeeding MP Namal Rajapaksa. Ranasinghe’s tenure began on a contentious note as he continued the suspension of Sri Lanka Rugby that his predecessor had initiated just two days before Rajapaksa’s removal from office. Ranasinghe’s time in the role, however, became notorious when three major sports associations—Sri Lanka Cricket, Sri Lanka Rugby, and the Football Federation of Sri Lanka—were suspended by their respective international governing bodies.
Before being removed from his position by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the then Sports Minister Ranasinghe boldly confronted the Executive Committee Team at Sri Lanka Cricket, accusing them of fraud and corruption. Despite his efforts to oust them, Ranasinghe’s endeavor collapsed due to a lack of the governmental support he had expected, leading to his own ousting instead. In the aftermath, during a parliamentary session, an embattled Ranasinghe expressed fears for his personal safety. He publicly stated that he would refuse even a glass of water offered to him, fearing it could be poisoned, highlighting the extent of his concerns for his well-being after challenging such powerful entities.
MP Ranasinghe’s claims of being poisoned have stirred speculation about his motives, particularly whether he is seeking public sympathy or political leverage ahead of the upcoming Presidential Election, which he has suggested he might enter. This conjecture arises as observers question whether his allegations are a strategic move to gain a foothold in a highly competitive political landscape.
If on the other hand, MP Ranasinghe’s allegations of being poisoned are substantiated, it could profoundly impact Sri Lanka’s political scene, hinting at a disturbing tactic that has been historically employed by some powerful nations. The use of poison as a political weapon to silence or eliminate opposition reflects a grave level of political manipulation and violence. Such a development would not only shift the dynamics within Sri Lanka but also raise serious concerns about the safety and integrity of its political processes. This situation would necessitate a reevaluation of security protocols for public officials and politicians.
Meanwhile as MP Ranasinghe has now subsequently recovered, his main partner in their lost battle against cricket corruption, the former World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga stepped on the stage of Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa at a May Day rally in the hills of Thalawakelle.
