‘If you have stress after losing ‘Mul Pituwa’, how should I feel after losing the first chair?

Friday, 12 June 2015

"You devil, if you are under stress after losing ‘Mul Pituwa’, how much stress should I be undergoing after losing the country’s first chair? Do not try to show off. Accept this task and get these papers to do better,” former president Mahinda Rajapaksa told former Lake House chairman Bandula Padmakumara, who is under treatment after experiencing severe stress. The warning came at a meeting on June 10 regarding ‘Rivira’ newspaper, chaired by the ex-president.

Former secretary to the media ministry Charitha Herath and several others participated. There, Charitha told Mahinda that Bandula has refused to accept the CEO position at Rivira Newspapers. Bandula has said that it would be a demotion for him to accept the CEO position after being chairman of Lake House. Losing his temper over this arrogant remark, Mahinda gave a call in front of all. There too, Bandula said he could not accept the position as he was under treatment for mental stress.

The ex-president’s response was, “Do you take us for eunuchs after we looked the other way permitting you to steal? Was it from money inherited from your parents that you bought houses at Queen’s Road at Rs. 450 million? If I get the UNP to dig these up, you will have to obtain treatment for stress from Welikada. Therefore, do what you have been given and get these papers to do better. Or else, do not call me a bad man.”

Hearing the conversation, those present at the meeting talked among themselves, “This one thinks that he is still the country’s president. No one has the backbone to say a few things to his face.”