Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has refuted media reports claiming that his father and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is seeking to temporarily move to the Maldives.
The Maldives Journal (TMJ) had reported that the speaker of the Maldivian Parliament, President Mohamed Nasheed is presently brokering safe passage for former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his family.
According to the report, a senior Maldivian government official had stated that after he had resigned, Mahinda Rajapaksa had called Nasheed and had requested to make arrangements so that his family can stay in the Maldives until the situation in Sri Lanka calms down.
It was reported that Nasheed had proposed that Rajapaksas purchase a private residence in Soneva Fushi, a property owned by India’s Sonu Shivdasani, who is a close associate of Nasheed.
The TMJ report further claimed that Sonu Shivdasani had agreed to sell a private villa to the Rajapaksa family at a cost of US$ 12 million. An additional villa, priced at US$ 3 million, is also said to be included in the deal to be used as housing for the family’s staff and security.
Commenting on the report, the former Prime Minister’s son and current MP Namal Rajapaksa refuted the report.
MP Namal Rajapaksa also assured his father has no intention of leaving Sri Lanka, further clarifying that there is no truth of any plans of his father to move to the Maldives or buy any villa there.
“Once again the media is sensationalizing things just to attract more readers, this time the #MDV audience as well as the #LKA ones. My father has no intention of leaving #LKA & there is no truth of any plans of him moving to #MDV or buying any villa there,” he Tweeted.
Responding to MP Rajapaksa, a journalist based in the Maldives called on the MP to explain why copies of his family’s passports were sent to Nasheed which were then shared with government officials to make travel arrangements.
The Maldivian journalist had also shared a copy of MP Namal Rajapaksa’s passport details in his Twitter exchange with the Parliamentarian.
Replying to the journalist, MP Rajapaksa said he can assure that no such thing had happened, calling on the journalist to check his sources.
“Friendships between the ppl of #MDV & #LKA has always been strong.I personally believe that it is in the best interest of that friendship that we keep domestic politics out,” MP Namal Rajapaksa added.
Also commenting on the matter, Maldivian speaker Mohammed Nasheed refuted the report published by TMJ pertaining to the Rajapaksas.
He said the story in Maldives Journal, a blog in the Maldives, is a complete fabrication.
“Through their lies, the people behind it do a grave disservice to the profession of journalism,” he added. (NewsWire)
