Kaduwela Mayor and former Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) trade union leader Ranjan Jayalal has denied claims that he called for killings during a leaked phone conversation, insisting that his remarks were taken out of context and edited.
The National Employees Union of the CEB released an audio recording of a heated exchange between Jayalal and a union member over ongoing restructuring plans. In the clip, Jayalal is heard saying phrases such as “not afraid to kill” and “we will save this country even if it means killing a hundred thousand.”
The remarks drew condemnation from the CEB’s National Employees Union Secretary, Ajith Devapriya, who said such language was unacceptable from a leader who once stood for workers’ rights.
Responding to the controversy, Jayalal said he had not threatened to kill anyone, stressing that his comments were a reaction to threats directed at him during the call. “What I said was that I am not afraid to die or face threats. That part has been cut and twisted by certain media to make it look like I was calling for violence,” he said. (Newswire)