Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Hector Appuhamy on 9th of July questioned the government’s financial transparency regarding the upcoming visit of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who is expected to inaugurate a new casino in Sri Lanka.
Raising the issue in Parliament, Appuhamy asked whether the government would use Sri Lanka’s foreign currency reserves to pay the actor. “How will they find the dollars to pay him? Will they dip into the country’s reserves?” he queried.
He also accused the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) of hypocrisy, pointing out that the party had previously opposed casinos while in opposition. “The NPP, which once preached morality and criticised the casino industry, is now rolling out the red carpet for Shah Rukh Khan,” Appuhamy said.
The MP alleged that the NPP was now endorsing the casino sector as a means of generating state revenue, despite its earlier public opposition to gambling ventures. He urged the government to disclose the full financial details of the star’s visit and the funding source.
