The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has rejected accusations that remarks by its General Secretary about the Inspector General of Police constituted a threat, stating the comments were taken out of context and concerned police impartiality.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has dismissed claims that statements made by General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam regarding Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya amounted to a threat, asserting instead that the remarks have been misrepresented. Party spokesman Sanjeewa Edirimanne characterized the controversy as stemming from selective quotation, arguing that Kariyawasam's full statement should be evaluated within its intended context of concerns about police transparency and impartiality.
At an August 3 media briefing at SLPP headquarters, Kariyawasam referenced three former police chiefs who experienced adverse outcomes under the current administration. He then cautioned the incumbent IGP against serving political interests rather than the state and public, stating the party did not want the current police chief to become "beaten to death by people on the streets"—a phrase that sparked significant controversy and calls for investigation.
Edirimanne rejected suggestions that Kariyawasam, described as a senior attorney with extensive legal experience, would publicly issue a death threat to the nation's highest-ranking police officer at a national media event. Instead, the party maintained that the remarks focused on safeguarding public confidence in police independence and investigative processes.
In Parliament on August 4, SLPP National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa reinforced this position, characterizing previous adverse outcomes for police chiefs as consequences of political interference. Rajapaksa framed his comments as cautionary advice against allowing similar political influence over the current police leadership, accusing government parliamentarians of mischaracterizing the SLPP's statements.
