Youth Council chairman threatens journalist

Indika cartoon
May 03, 2017

Chairman of the National Youth Council, lawyer Eranda Weliange has threatened a journalist from www.gossip99.com during the UNP May Day rally at Campbell Park, Borella over an article published by the website in November 2015.

The threatened journalist says that the chairman, in an inebriated state, had come to him and threatened him, “Who are you to expose the Youth Council? You don’t know who I am. Get your life spared.”

The website reported a fraud that had taken place during the 2015 November youth parliamentary election. A candidate fielded from Rakwana was not a permanent resident of the electorate, a violation of the election circular. He had produced a Grama Seva certificate to say that he was only a temporary resident.

The Youth Council chairman had covered up a complaint he had received regarding this fraud.

Even as leaders of ‘Yahapaalana’ brag about the media freedom it is giving, it is unfortunate that persons like Weliange, who had thrived themselves through ‘Yahapaalana’, are threatening journalists on May Day.