Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP Sivagnanam Sritharan on Friday firmly rejected corruption allegations made against him by Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, and challenged him to substantiate the claims with evidence in Parliament.
Responding to accusations raised the previous day, Sritharan said he was prepared to face any scrutiny and called on Jayasekara to formally prove the allegations if they were true. “If MP Dayasiri Jayasekara is truly an upright Sinhala Buddhist, I challenge him to prove in Parliament that I have engaged in corruption,” Sritharan said during his address to the House, using an unparliamentary expression.
Allegations Raised in Parliament
On Thursday, Jayasekara accused Sritharan—who represents minority parties on the Constitutional Council—of acting against the mandate of minority communities and aligning himself with the government.
He alleged that Sritharan had supported government decisions contributing to militarisation, including voting in favour of appointing military officers to civilian administrative positions. Jayasekara further claimed that Sritharan had voted with the government on around eight key occasions, including during the appointment of the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
Jayasekara also linked Sritharan to a large-scale solar power project in Poonagari, valued at approximately USD 1.7 billion, alleging that financial transactions related to the project had taken place through an individual identified as “Sarangan,” whom he described as a close associate of Sritharan.
However, ITAK sources said that Sarangan is Sritharan’s elder son.
According to Jayasekara, Rs. 40 million had been deposited into Sritharan’s bank account and Rs. 30 million into Sarangan’s account in connection with the project.
Jayasekara called on Sritharan to resign immediately from the Constitutional Council, citing ethical concerns.
Sritharan’s Response
Rejecting the allegations, Sritharan said Jayasekara’s statements were irresponsible and unbecoming of a senior political figure.
“If such allegations are made, a responsible political leader must place on record in Parliament which bank, what amount, and on which date the money was allegedly deposited,” he said.
He added that if Jayasekara was acting with integrity, he should formally present those details to the House.
Sritharan noted that he has served in Parliament for 16 years, stating that throughout his political career he has acted in accordance with justice and fairness.
He further asserted that, as an independent member of the Constitutional Council, he has taken decisions impartially and in the interests of the Tamil people. “I have acted independently and fairly, representing the Tamil people, and I categorically reject these allegations,” Sritharan said, adding that there were forces both inside and outside his party seeking to push him out of politics.
Broader Political Tensions
The standoff centres on Sritharan’s conduct as the minority representative on the Constitutional Council. He is alleged to have voted with the government on eight occasions, including four appointments involving former military officers—a particularly sensitive issue in Sri Lanka’s North.
While Sritharan has rejected these claims, party insiders allege that his voting pattern may have been influenced by business interests, including alleged bar licences obtained in Kilinochchi, which they say could leave him vulnerable to government pressure.
