Derana Sankha's duties suspended for having compared ....

Derana Sankha's duties suspended for having compared ....

the singer who sang 'Danno Budunge' ....to a cat!

Sankha Amarajith of Derana Channel had made a criticism saying that singer Kishani Jayasingha who sang the song of 'Danno Budunge' in an

opera-style the day after last Independence Day Celebrations that she had rendered the song as if it was a female cat making the sound 'Meow'. This statement was made by him at a Rupavahini Newspaper Headlines programme. After he was subjected to reproach by the Prime Minister on this matter, his duties had been suspended by that channel, it is reported.

When a part of this song was broadcast on the morning programme of February 5th, this is what Sankha said: "Aren't such sounds heard? Now female cats who always say 'Meow .... meow' make sounds such as that in the night. Then what do we do .... don't we get hold of half a brick and fling it in that direction? What village-folk say is that it's unlucky, owlish. So that song called 'Danno Budunge' was considered as a very noble song, a Buddhist devotional song and an extremely virtuous song which lightened up the heart.

Starting from Mr. Amaradeva most male and female sang this song with great respect, devotion and with pious hearts. But it was at a ceremony said to have been held to commemorate the National Independence Day on February 4th that this song was distorted".

After this criticism Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasingha at a press meeting held yesterday had this to say: "I saw that day in Derana News the day after the National Day, that the song 'Danno Budunge' was sung .... that female singer was compared to a cat, making a sound. There is the right to speak out, to criticize. But can a lady be called a female cat over Rupavahini? Such things don't belong to those companies. Those broadcasting licences are given by the government. Those belong to the masses. A majority of the public in this country are females".

What Sankha spoke about was a female cat who says 'Meow'. What Ranil says is about a female cat. Whatever it is, after this incident Amarajith's duties at Derana have been suspended. It has still not been reported whether it is of a temporary or permanent nature. The criticism made by Sankha, from below