Criticism of Lal Kantha's 'Bindu story' concerning the late Nandana

A note posted on Facebook by Minister K.D. Lal Kantha of the current government, following the demise of Mr. Nandana Gunathilaka, a former active member and prominent political figure of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has currently become a subject of intense discussion and criticism on social media.

The Minister has stated that he would give ten points for the deceased politician's past dedication to building the party, and then ten negative points for his later dedication to destroying the party. The note further indicates that, in the end, the positive and negative values cancel each other out, leaving him with "zero" (10-10=0).

The vast majority of social media users who have commented on this statement appear to have vehemently condemned the Minister's conduct. Many point out that showing respect to a deceased person is a fundamental characteristic of Sri Lankan culture, and emphasize that political animosities should not be carried beyond death. A group, in particular, criticizing the Minister's behavior using the word "barbaric," points out that humanity should be valued before party or politics, and that through such statements, the Minister has damaged his own image.

Another group points out that Mr. Nandana Gunathilaka was in a difficult economic situation even at the time of his death, and that the hearts of the current rulers have become so hardened that they cannot even pay their last respects to such a person. Many state that the Minister's 'scoring' arithmetic has backfired on him, and have expressed the opinion that it would have been more appropriate to remain silent during such a sensitive moment. Some responses mention that by referring to the deceased as "zero," the Minister has demonstrated his own political immaturity and a lack of human virtues.

Although a very small number of people have tried to interpret the Minister's statement as a political reality, the common opinion is that regardless of political ideologies, minimum morality must be upheld in the event of a death. Many believe that such disrespect after death, merely because someone left or opposed the party, is an act unbecoming of an intelligent politician. Various parties have also pointed out that this incident is likely to turn public attitudes towards powerful figures in the government in a negative direction.