-By LeN Political Editor
(Lanka-e-News -15.July.2025, 11.00 PM) In what was meant to be a strategic political broadside, Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Dayasiri Jayasekara’s recent press conference has instead triggered an unexpected blowback—one that has drawn the ire of the Rajapaksa clan, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself.
Jayasekara, known for his flair for political theatre and a seasoned knack for opposition grandstanding, took to the podium last week to accuse the former government of illegally importing banned motorcycles hidden inside frozen poultry containers—a claim he framed as symbolic of “the rot at the heart of the Rajapaksa regime.”
With a tone equal parts righteous and theatrical, Dayasiri spoke of “smuggled goods disguised as chicken wings,” presenting himself as the last moral sentinel guarding Sri Lanka from a resurgence of Rajapaksa kleptocracy. The conference was well-attended. Headlines followed. Clips trended.
But then came the facts.
What Jayasekara failed to mention—either by omission or by political convenience—was that the container in question, flagged and later released by Customs in January this year, was linked not directly to a sitting Rajapaksa but to Ajith Gallage, a former adviser to Mahinda Rajapaksa. (Photo -Ajith Gallage with MR)
Gallage, whose name has popped up before in circles surrounding the infamous Nil Balakaya youth group, reportedly imported the motorcycles for racing and commercial resale—activities that were allegedly commonplace during the Mahinda-era petrolhead frenzy, which saw sons Namal and Yoshitha dabbling in everything from rugby to motor rallies.
According to Customs records reviewed by this newspaper, the shipment was indeed concealed beneath layers of frozen poultry, a method not unfamiliar in the island's underground logistics world. Yet it was Gallage—not Mahinda or Namal—who held the import license.
Still, Jayasekara’s eagerness to draw a direct line between the shipment and the Rajapaksa family has now been criticised even by some in the opposition as overreach and political opportunism.
Observers point out that the Rajapaksas have a long and storied history with motorbike culture, one tied not merely to personal interest but to a broader project of masculine populism. During Mahinda’s presidency, motor rallies and high-octane public events became a hallmark of state-sponsored youth engagement, frequently backed by military-linked sponsors and state-run media.
“The motorcycles were more than vehicles—they were symbols,” said one political analyst. “They represented power, speed, and the kind of post-war national virility the Rajapaksas wanted to project.”
Dayasiri’s attempt to weaponise this cultural motif, however, appears to have misfired—not because the story lacked merit, but because it lacked precision.
Despite evidence now emerging that the Rajapaksas themselves were not directly involved in this particular shipment, Dayasiri has offered no retraction, nor has he clarified his remarks. Instead, his office has remained silent, reportedly convinced that “the broader message”—that the Rajapaksas still have their fingerprints on shady economic dealings—is what matters.
Critics, however, warn that such casual conflations risk undermining public trust in opposition messaging.
“You can’t scream ‘corruption!’ without the evidence to match,” said constitutional lawyer Sharmini Pathirana. “It reduces serious accountability work to political theatre.”
Sources close to Mahinda Rajapaksa say the former President was “infuriated” by the public insinuation, viewing Dayasiri’s statement as not only inaccurate but “a betrayal” by a former ally. Jayasekara, once a prominent figure within the SLFP coalition aligned with Mahinda, crossed over to the SJB in 2022, citing moral objections to the handling of the economic crisis.
“Dayasiri knows how the machine works—he was part of it,” said a senior SLPP member, requesting anonymity. “For him to now pretend he’s a crusader is laughable.”
Insiders say Namal Rajapaksa privately pushed for a legal response to the allegation but was advised against it by party elders who feared it would only amplify the story.
Some analysts interpret Dayasiri’s outburst as a calculated distraction amidst internal tensions within the SJB, where the battle for visibility ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections has intensified. Jayasekara, a vocal nationalist with a flair for populist messaging, is increasingly seen as competing for attention in a party dominated by more centrist figures like Sajith Premadasa and Eran Wickramaratne.
“He’s trying to carve out a role for himself as the party’s attack dog,” said journalist Nimali Siriwardena. “But the line between attack and self-sabotage is thin.”
If the intent was to rally anti-Rajapaksa sentiment ahead of the polls, the outcome has been mixed. While Dayasiri did succeed in resurfacing old memories of Rajapaksa-era impunity, his credibility has taken a hit—particularly among voters weary of political mudslinging untethered to fact.
The controversy also underscores a broader trend in Sri Lankan politics, where allegations are lobbed with impunity, and retractions—if they come at all—arrive long after the damage is done.
“Truth is always the casualty in these battles,” said a former Election Commission official. “No one’s trying to be accurate. They’re just trying to dominate the airwaves.”
With a resurgent SLPP seeking to rehabilitate its post-2022 image, and the SJB struggling to define its narrative beyond just being “anti-Rajapaksa,” moments like this one expose the fragility of political messaging on both sides.
For now, Dayasiri Jayasekara remains unapologetic. The Rajapaksas, meanwhile, are livid. And the public—caught once again between spectacle and substance—are left to wonder whether any of it was ever really about motorcycles.
-By LeN Political Editor
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by (2025-07-15 17:30:24)
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