கொழும்பு, காலிமுகத்திடலில் அண்மையில் 5,000 பரதநாட்டியக் கலைஞர்களின் பங்கேற்புடன் நடத்தப்பட்ட கின்னஸ் சாதனை முயற்சியின் பின்னணியில், திட்டமிட்ட பாரிய பண மோசடி மற்றும் உழைப்புச் சுரண்டல் அரங்கேறியுள்ளன என்று கூறி, இலஞ்ச, ஊழல் ஒழிப்பு ஆணைக்குழுவில் முறைப்பாடொன்று பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டு…
A complaint has been filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) alleging that a massive fraud and labour exploitation took place in the backdrop of the recent Guinness World Records attempt held at Galle Face, Colombo, involving 5,000 Bharatanatyam artists. The National Executive Committee member of the People's Struggle Front, Rajkumar Rajivkanth, and the Propaganda Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party and well-known social activist Duminda Nagamuwa have jointly submitted the complaint to the Commission. Speaking to the media after submitting the complaint, they expressed their strong condemnation of the dance event held on June 14th, which was a blatant commercial operation that deceived poor Tamil students and their parents in Sri Lanka under the guise of an artistic achievement. According to the official website posts of the Deputy Minister of Plantations and Social Infrastructure, Sundaralingam Pradeep, it has been pointed out that the private companies 'Sangamam Global Academy' and 'Sangamalia Holidays' have coordinated and organized this dance event under his direct request and guidance.
In a national-level matter directly involving a government deputy minister, they publicly alleged that entry fees ranging from Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 6,000 were collected from students who attended the event through completely private companies and deposited into bank accounts in the names of private individuals instead of going to the government treasury. The counter-complaint was that no ministry or government department provided proper financial guarantee or audit control for this event. If such a historic event had been officially organized by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Culture or the Ministry of Tourism, the revenue generated by it in crores would have gone to the country and back to our people.
However, they accused the deputy minister of acting illegally in a way that favored private individuals.
Even after the grand event ended, the private companies are still demanding Rs. 2,500, Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 12,000 from parents to issue participation certificates for the students, the activists said. They expressed concern that middle-class students from remote areas and hilly plantation areas were not provided with accommodation, food or security, and that students who came at their own expense were burdened with debts ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 100,000. They also stated that the massive money laundering scheme was a selfish attempt to exploit the hard work and artistic talent of Sri Lankan students and that the hard work of our countrymen was brutally exploited by a private company from India and a dance teacher to secure a world record title. The activists, who stated that they have submitted all bank transfer receipts and documentary evidence related to this to the Anti-Bribery and Corruption Commission, have strongly urged that a special investigation be conducted immediately into this matter, that the money collected fraudulently from the poor students be fully refunded, and that the relevant Deputy Minister be fully accountable to Parliament and the country for this.