By The Pulseline News Desk
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has turned up the political heat on the Rajapaksa family, declaring that the law will apply to everyone regardless of family connections, as the ruling NPP and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) traded sharply worded messages at rival political gatherings.
Addressing an NPP farmers’ rally in Polonnaruwa on Saturday (12), Dissanayake directly targeted the Rajapaksa family while defending ongoing action over alleged corruption.
“Father should have told them (family members) earlier not to steal, instead of crying now. The law will apply to everyone, whether it’s the mother or grandmother. We have no sympathy for anyone who stole public money,” the President said.
The remarks came as the SLPP staged a major “Jana Satana” rally in Anuradhapura, attended by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and senior party figures, turning the two events into competing displays of political mobilisation.
‘They can all be caught in one place’
Dissanayake also took direct aim at the Anuradhapura rally, claiming that several people wanted in connection with corruption allegations were present at the gathering.
“If the CID goes there, they can catch all of them in one place,” he said.
The President alleged that the rally was not being organised in the public interest but was instead an attempt by individuals facing allegations to mobilise political support and protect themselves from legal action.
The comments mark a particularly confrontational phase in the Government’s relationship with the Rajapaksa-led political camp, as investigations and arrests involving former and current SLPP figures continue to dominate political debate.
Namal sends message from behind bars
Adding another dimension to the political confrontation, SLPP National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa addressed the Anuradhapura gathering through a message sent from the Colombo Remand Prison, where he is currently being held in remand custody.
Namal was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with an investigation into the procurement of wide-body aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.
In his message, Namal thanked supporters for their solidarity and described the Anuradhapura rally as a “decisive new beginning” for the SLPP’s political campaign.
“I see you from behind the iron bars of the Colombo Remand Prison. From here, I feel the warmth of the brotherhood you are showing me,” he said.
Quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela — “Difficulties break some men but make others” — Namal said the challenges he was facing had strengthened his political resolve.
He also credited his father with teaching him to become stronger when confronting adversity.
Attack on the NPP Government
Namal used the message to launch a broad political attack on the NPP administration.
He accused the Government of failing to fulfil its election promises and claimed that rising living costs and the tax burden were placing increasing pressure on ordinary citizens and businesses.
Farmers, fishermen, workers and small and medium-sized enterprises, he claimed, were among those facing economic difficulties.
Namal also accused the Government of politicising State investigative institutions, alleging that investigations involving people linked to the Government were not being pursued in the same manner.
He further criticised the Government over proposed constitutional changes, the delay in Provincial Council elections and what he described as inadequate opportunities for young people entering the job market.
A new political battle line
The exchange comes at a politically significant moment for both sides.
For the NPP Government, the investigations into alleged corruption involving members and associates of the previous political establishment are central to its pledge to establish greater accountability in public life.
For the SLPP, however, the arrest and detention of one of its leading young political figures has become a rallying point around which it is seeking to rebuild political momentum.
The Anuradhapura rally therefore served a dual purpose: demonstrating that the Rajapaksa camp can still mobilise supporters while also portraying Namal Rajapaksa’s detention as part of a broader political struggle.
Namal ended his message with a pledge not to surrender to what he described as the Government’s political power.
“Our determination cannot be imprisoned,” he said, while calling on supporters to remain peaceful, disciplined and respectful of the law.
From corruption probes to political survival
The increasingly personal exchanges between Dissanayake and the Rajapaksa camp suggest that corruption investigations are rapidly becoming intertwined with the broader battle for political relevance.
The President is seeking to establish a clear dividing line between the NPP administration and the political establishment it replaced, while the SLPP is attempting to turn legal pressure on its leadership into a wider political campaign against the Government.
The stakes are therefore extending beyond individual investigations.
For the NPP, the credibility of its anti-corruption campaign depends on demonstrating that investigations are conducted according to law and without political interference.
For the SLPP, the challenge is to convince voters that the Government is using State institutions fairly while rebuilding a party whose influence suffered a major setback at the 2024 elections.
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