Media Attempting To Keep Ranil Politically Alive To Weaken Opposition

Wickremesinghe

By Amrit Muttukumaru –MAY 23, 2020

Amrit Muttukumaru

Ranil Wickremesinghe is probably the most disliked politician in the country today in the reckoning of people crying out for a strong opposition. Although nationwide he is electorally irrelevant and toxic to democratic governance, influential sections of the print and electronic media in the country are doing their damndest to keep the rump of the UNP led by him politically alive to weaken the opposition in general and de facto opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in particular to serve their respective business interests and agenda. An exception to this is a popular TV network with its own baggage of controversy supportive of Premadasa. Under Wickremesinghe the UNP has lost a record number of nationwide elections and also lost thousands of exasperated party faithful. On the other hand, Premadasa then UNP Deputy Leader was largely a mere spectator until he recently formed the UNP breakaway Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party. His leadership is still not convincing.

In this milieu the print media seems to be the most active led by Wijeya Newspapers Limited (WNL) followed by Upali Newspapers Limited (UNL). While in the case of UNL it is not a surprise given its consistent stance over the years, it is indeed baffling in the case of WNL which at least has pretensions to be ‘independent’. WNL is owned by Wickremesinghe’s maternal uncle – Ranjit Wijewardene who is also its Chairman. Wijewardene’s son Ruwan a laid-back politician has preferred to remain in the UNP rump led by his first cousin Ranil rather than join the vast majority from the UNP who are members of the UNP breakaway SJB led by Sajith. The SJB was the logical outcome of Ranil’s refusal to budge from the UNP leadership despite almost singlehandedly bringing it to virtual ruin. His links when PM to the scandalous bond scam has done immense damage to the UNP. It is widely perceived that Ranil’s political leaning for a considerable period even during the time when he was PM in the so-called Yahapalana government was not in sync with the majority of the UNPers who were getting increasingly frustrated.

WNL influence on the print media of the country is such that when Wijewardene’s son Ruwan was appointed Minister of Mass Media by his cousin PM Ranil with access to information and influence over all competitive media, there wasn’t a whimper of protest from any of the competitive media. A lucrative business of Lake House Printers & Publishers PLC virtually owed by Ranjit Wijewardene is the printing of cheque leaves and security documents for State banks

It is amazing that Ranil and the rump of the UNP he leads is being given ‘star’ status by the media while ignoring the real opposition led by Sajith and his SJB! It is unbelievable that the media is ignoring the implications of 80 former MPs of the UNP dominated UNF in the previous parliament throwing in their lot with the Sajith led SJB.

Media Games – Examples

Is it not astonishing that the media knowing fully well that the UNP is today little more than a name board and worse may even be in cahoots with the ruling dispensation is giving it and its electorally toxic leader Wickremesinghe top billing? Consider the following examples:

i) Not a time to play adversarial politics-Ranil Wickremesinghe

‘Daily Mirror’ 4 May 2020

ii) Ranil writes to Germany and Norway:Hails moves taken to combat COVID-19

‘Daily Mirror’ 24 April 2020

iii) Those who left UNP might rejoin:Akila

‘Daily Mirror’ 20 May 2020

iv) Rumours rife over SJB members trying to join UNP

‘Daily Mirror’ 24 April 2020

v) Only interested in forming our own government:UNP

‘Daily Mirror’ 12 May 2020

vi) Legality of SJB Chairman and Secretary challenged

‘The Island’ 20 May 2020