Out on bail

By Theekshana Jayasundaram-2013-06-28

Disgraced North-Western Provincial Councillor, Ananda Sarath Kumara, who was in remand custody for allegedly forcing a female school teacher to kneel down before him, was yesterday released on bail, amidst jubilations by his supporters and protests by school teachers and principals. After the former Provincial Councillor was granted bail by the Puttalam Magistrate, about 200 school teachers held a protest march from the Court to the Anamaduwa Central College, holding banners and placards denouncing the politician.

The Ceylon Teachers' Service Union (CTU) expressed concerns over the security... ...of the teacher as the politico, flanked by his henchmen, some appeared to be inebriated, toured the town, celebrating his release and blocking the vehicular traffic along the Puttalam-Kurunegala Road. His release came in the wake of complaints that his goons had threatened the victimized teacher, Priyani Susila Herath. General Secretary of the CTSU, Mahinda Jayasinghe, said 'a large number' of teachers of schools in Puttalam reported sick leave yesterday in protest of the politico.

The police, outnumbered by the demonstrators, tried to prevent the two rival demonstrators coming closer to each other.

Sarath Kumara was taken into custody following the public humiliation of a female teacher at the Navagattegama Navodya School. Since then, he had resigned from his position in the Provincial Council and was sacked from the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance.

Parliamentarians, Arundika Fernando, Indrani Dasanayake and North-Western Provincial Council Minister, Sanath Nishantha, were seen at the Puttalam Magistrate's Court premises to greet their political colleague.

Later, Kumara, accompanied by his supporters, visited the Aiyanayaka Kovil in Anamaduwa and dashed coconuts and invoked blessings.

Speaking to the media, former Provincial Councillor Kumara blamed the media for taking sides.

"I had a great faith in the media. But, the media decided to take the side of the teacher and brought me to shame. I condemn that. If the teacher manages to prove that I did something wrong, I will leave politics forever. These allegations against me are politically motivated. Whatever the case, the principal of the school, as well as 80 or so teachers came to see me in prison. The people trust me."

Meanwhile, CTSU's Mahinda Jayasinghe raised concerns over the security of the teacher and said the presence of ruling party MPs in the Court was proof that the disgraced politico continues to have the backing from the ruling party

"Even while Kumara was in prison, his henchmen harassed the teacher. Now that he is out, we can't say what will happen to her. The presence of ruling party MP Arundika Fernando in the Court premises when Kumara was released showed that he has the backing of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), no matter what they have said on the matter," he said. "If justice is not delivered to the teacher, we will step up our trade union actions," he added.