Uproar in House over scholarship disbursement

An uproar erupted in Parliament yesterday when SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna defended himself against allegations of receiving favoured financial assistance from the President’s Fund for his postgraduate studies.

- By SAMAN INDRAJITH

Responding to claims made in the House, Rajakaruna said, “There was nothing illegal about it. I applied for assistance and was selected after an interview based on merit. My father was in the Opposition at the time. This is clearly an attempt to discredit me and other Opposition MPs.”

Saying that he had been awarded Rs. 500,000, he asked why out of Rs. 73 million disbursed in scholarships that year, only his name had been singled out. “Other recipients have not been named. Why just me?” he asked.