A video circulating widely on social media has captured Ranjan Jayalal, the current Mayor of Kaduwela and former General Secretary of the Lanka Electricity Workers Union, allegedly threatening to kill a fellow trade union leader involved in ongoing protests against the restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
The video, which has sparked public outcry, features an intense phone call in which Jayalal reportedly directs threats at the unionist, who has been critical of the government’s restructuring plans.
Jayalal, once a vocal opponent of CEB reforms under the previous administration, now appears to support the current government’s approach.
In the call, Jayalal is heard saying: “I am not afraid to die, I am not afraid to be killed… The army and the police are in our hands. We took the government, not to give it back.”
He also asserted that he had not been “bought” or “surrendered to money” and challenged any legal action against him, saying, “What legal action would be taken against a mayor?”
The trade unionist on the receiving end of the call accused Jayalal of betraying the working class, alleging that he accepted money in return for supporting the restructuring process.
He further claimed that Jayalal had used union-collected funds to buy himself a vehicle.
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