Disna Niranjala Kumari, a National People’s Power (NPP) Councilor for the Peliyagoda Urban Council, has resigned from her position after her husband and son were arrested on drug charges. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) announced her resignation, stating that Ms. Kumari was deeply shocked by the incident. Her decision was made in support of legal proceedings and to contribute to the “Malimawa’s” program for establishing a positive political culture in the country. She has submitted her letter of resignation to the Gampaha District Returning Officer.
Commenting on the incident, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa strongly criticized the government, emphasizing that the current administration must work to eradicate the drug epidemic from the country, regardless of political affiliation. He raised suspicions about whether the arrested principal, affiliated with the NPP’s teachers’ union, and his wife, the “Malimawa” councilor, were involved in distributing drugs among schoolchildren.
Namal Rajapaksa questioned who the government would accuse this time, given that in the past, the Rajapaksas were blamed every time drugs were found in the country. He urged that the arrested suspect be held under detention orders to uncover the politicians behind him. The MP also sternly warned the government that if MPs and others do not stop selling drugs and implement budget proposals, the country would inevitably fall back to a three percent approval rating.
National Leprosy Conference Kicks Off, President Attends
Meanwhile, the National Leprosy Conference commenced today (November 6) at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to eradicate leprosy. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake attended the inauguration.
Organized by the Ministry of Health with the collaborative support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Sasakawa Foundation, the conference unveiled a roadmap for eliminating leprosy from Sri Lanka within the next 10 years.
Addressing the gathering, Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, stated that while leprosy was eliminated as a public health threat in 1995, the journey is not yet complete. The minister noted that new leprosy cases continue to emerge, with approximately 1500-2000 new patients identified annually. Alarmingly, about 10% of these are children under 10 years old. The minister further added that the current government plans to make Sri Lanka a leprosy-free country by 2035.
