National Organiser of the All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation and former JVP Parliamentarian Namal Karunaratne has sent a letter of demand claiming Rs.500 million as damages from Minister of Agriculture MahindanandaAluthgamage for allegedly making a statement containing defamatory remarks on him.
This letter of demand has been sent through Attorney-at-law Sunil Watagala urging Minister Aluthgamage to pay the damages within 14 days. It has warned that legal action will be instituted if the money is not paid during this time period.
Watagala stated that the alleged defamatory statement made by Mahindananda Aluthgamagehad been aired on a private television channel on 17th of October.
The lawyer alleged that the statement indirectly suggests (innuendo) that Namal Karunaratne has obtained money from chemical fertilizer companies to bring farmers to the streets.
Watagala said the accusations made by Minister against his client are baseless and fabricated and are calculated to defame and tarnish the reputation of his client who is currently appearing on behalf of the farming community in the country.
