Sangeeth Clarifies 'Drug Criticism': 'Pages are to Blame for Portraying Me as Anti-Government'

A rumor spread across social media that renowned musician Sangeeth Wijesuriya, who had publicly declared his political support for the JVP-led government during the election period, made a statement criticizing the current government during a lengthy video discussion with presenter Kingsley Rathnayake in Australia recently.

Based on that statement, journalists at today's (25th) Cabinet media briefing questioned Cabinet Media Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa about the relevant statement, mentioning Sangeeth by name. It was also reported that Sangeeth met President Anura Kumara this evening.
Subsequently, he released a separate video stating that his remarks should not be misunderstood and that 'Facebook pages' had given them a wrong interpretation.
His latest statement is as follows:

"Actually, because I know a lot about these drugs, I'm saying that previous governments didn't seize drugs like this government does. They seized a few kilos, and either there was kurakkan flour mixed with them, or other non-drug substances.

The danger there is that even though they showed drug seizures, those drugs would go back into the market. This government is seizing drugs in kilos. I only told the President to create a law for this. Because he genuinely cares about the people of our country, doesn't he? Our people are suffering.

For years, I've been saying that these should be 'Strike' (destroyed) immediately upon seizure. Today, I came here at his invitation. I made a request to him to create laws for this. Because after seizure, case exhibits cannot be easily 'Destruct' (destroyed).

There are relevant laws and many factors involved. However, what I'm saying is that a new law should be created for this, where a magistrate and a government analyst are brought to the scene immediately upon seizure of the goods, samples are taken, and the remaining drugs are destroyed on the spot, keeping only the samples for the case. I believe that this can then be brought in as a law. In some way, those items must be destroyed. Today, when I asked the President to do this, he promised. He promised to create such a law. We proposed similar actions to previous administrations as well. I even proposed it during my time at the Narcotics Bureau. But it didn't happen. Back then, politicians didn't have a genuine desire to stop this.

Because they were also 'involved parties' in these activities. So, because of that, I 'feel' that the President is genuinely and wholeheartedly trying to implement these measures and what he intends to do. People also 'feel' it. So, within the entirety of this work, my request is to introduce a law to destroy the seized drugs.

However, this statement I made has been misinterpreted by some Facebook pages. It has been portrayed as if I am expressing an 'anti-government' sentiment against this government. So, what I have to say about that is, those who run those pages also need to live, don't they?

They are also pitiable. When one is a human being, there should be quality, and responsibility for what one says. I definitely 'respect' the program being carried out by this government. However, I also propose that those other things should happen."

Video Click Here