Trade Minister and Rahuman clash over Sathosa tender

A heated exchange erupted in Parliament yesterday as Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe dared SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman to resign if he could not substantiate explosive claims that a key advisor to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had been awarded a controversial Sathosa tender.

- BY SAMAN INDRAJITH

During a debate on Anti-Corruption Act regulations, Rahuman accused the government of double standards, stating that while it aggressively pursued past corruption cases, it turned a blind eye to alleged wrongdoing within its ranks.

He listed several scandals, including the release of 323 containers from the Colombo Port without due process; irregular awarding of the Mannar wind power plant tender, the sale of luxury vehicles below market prices at the Presidential Secretariat and no action against an NPP-linked tuition teacher accused of involvement in the Kotahena schoolgirl suicide case, despite public outrage.