Rajapaksa Promotes Instigator Of Channel 4 Protests To Cabinet

November 24, 2013 

Deputy Minister S.M. Chandrasena has been promoted to the rank of Cabinet Minister by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, one week after he and his brother organised massive demonstrations in Anuaradhapura against the Channel 4 crew in Sri Lanka to the cover the Commonwealth Summit.

Chandrasena was sworn in as Cabinet Minister in charge of Special Projects by President Rajapaksa on Saturday (22).

Chandrasena and his brother S.M. Ranjith were instrumental in stalling the train carrying the Channel 4 crew to Kilinochchi on Wednesday (13 November) at Anuradhapura by bringing their supporters in numbers to the railway station.

Interestingly, Chandrasena lost his Cabinet portfolio in September 2012 after the President announced his brother could not be appointed Chief Minister of the North Central Province since two members of the same family could not hold top posts in the Government. Accordingly Chandrasena resigned his portfolio and his brother S.M Ranjith was appointed North Central Chief Minister.

SM Chandrasena was then appointed Deputy Minister in the spate of new deputy ministerial appointments made by the President in October this year. His Cabinet portfolio has now been restored completely.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has the largest cabinet of ministers in the world.

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