- SLBC Watch (January 06, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Subatathi Programme at prime time on 6th January returned to a blatant violation of the election laws by devoting itself entirely to attack the election promises of increase of salaries of government employees by General Sarath Fonseka, the common candidate of the opposition. Mahinda Rajapakse, the government’s candidate was portrayed as the only reliable candidate that government servants should vote for. Whole programme was a direct political propaganda excise for Mahinda Rajapakse and an attack on Sarath Fonseka.
Telephone conversations, carefully selected and prearranged to prevent any opposing views and give air time to supporters of the government, were used during the programme.
Regarding the increase of salaries, the programme speaker stated that the increase of Rs.10,000 will bankrupt the country; Mahinda Rajapakse has already given increases of over Rs.5,000 already. Besides government servants do not work for salaries; they work like monks for the benefit of the people. Mahinda Rajapakse has given so much to government servants by way of loans, leave and other things. Sarath Fonseka will not listen to government servants.
Finally, the speaker was asked about the government servants’ duty on the 26th January when voting. The categorical answer was that government servants should vote for Mahinda Rapakse. This was a duty and an act of gratitude. Voting for Sarath Fonseka, it was said, would be like voting for Hilter, Pol Pot or Edi Amin.
Throughout the programme the JVP was also blamed for supporting Sarath Fonseka.
This was a clearly a cheap propaganda meeting conducted through the state media.
Two speakers who engaged in this propaganda programme were W.H. Piyadasa and Leslie Devendra, two trade union leaders supporting the government. The presenter was Shantha Rohana Ranawaka.
When a candidate in the presidential election is attacked, it is the duty of any state media to provide him a similar opportunity to answer all allegations. The use of state media, in favour of one candidate is a clear violation of election laws. When this is done in favour of the government in power it is even more shameless.
It is the duty of the Election Commissioner to act immediately to stop this abuse and to demand that the state media provide the opposition candidate, who has been attacked, a chance to answer such propaganda.
The Chairman of the SLBC and the programme producers deserve to taken to task for deliberate and repeated violation of election laws.
 The Subatathi Programme at prime time on 6th January returned to a blatant violation...){kind=link}
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