Chandra Fernando, the Chairman of the Police Commission of Sri Lanka, broke his silence after Social Media backlash on him being seen at the welcoming party at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport for the return of Basil Rajapaksa two days (20) ago, in a statement to ‘News1st’ saying that he was already at the Airport during which the former Minister and the National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) arrived.
Fernando, together with another Commission member, N.P.P Perera, was seen welcoming Rajapaksa at the Airport, leading to speculation whether the so called independent Police Commission of Sri Lanka is politically biased. MPs of the Opposition also questioned the Police Commission Chief’s presence among the welcoming party for Basil, heating up the House yesterday (21).
“I was in Katunayake that day. When I was in Katunayake, I learned about his return and went to see him. That’s all. Nothing else. This is being asked by various parties in various forms, get it? As I was there, I heard that there was a group of people. I too went to the scene. No day have I ever shown partiality in my line of duty. I’m not attached to politics,” Fernando told News1st.
The Police Commission Chief went on: “There will be no problem with my title. Because what’s important is how I work in my title. Had Madam Chandrika arrived there, I would’ve seen her too. Because what I was told was that there were people out there shouting. That was why I went there, to see what was happening. There was no such shouting at all, what I was told was a lie. I only went there to see what the whole rush was. Yes, I did go inside, and there was no rush at all. Then I saw Mr. Basil there. He said hello, I came in. We’re public servants, aren’t we? We talk whether it’s Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr. Maithripala Sirisena, Mr. Sajith Premadasa, or Mr. Sarath Fonseka.”
MIAP
