Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa has hit back at Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake, accusing him of misleading Parliament with false claims about the Southern Expressway.
Rajapaksa, in a post on social media platform X, criticised Rathnayake’s recent remarks in Parliament, where the Minister alleged that certain sections of the expressway were constructed to benefit individuals connected to powerful politicians from the former government. Rathnayake suggested that some access points were developed to serve private interests rather than public needs.
Responding to the allegations, Rajapaksa called the comments a continuation of a “false narrative” aimed at tarnishing the Rajapaksa family’s image. “It is disappointing to see Minister @BimalRathnayake misleading Parliament with false narratives just to spread hatred towards the Rajapaksas — a tactic used to cover up their own failures,” he said.
Rajapaksa also clarified that the land used for the Southern Expressway service station was legally leased by the Road Development Authority to the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, both of which are state-owned entities. He emphasized that the facility continues to serve thousands of commuters daily and fulfils its intended public function.
