Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that he cannot clearly remember the conversation he held with Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala during a recent funeral event. He responded after a video of the interaction spread widely across social media platforms and triggered political discussions.
The meeting took place during the final rites of the son of President’s Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma, where several political leaders attended the ceremony. Mahinda Rajapaksa said he watched the circulating video and confirmed that he does not remember the exact details of what Sunil Watagala told him during the brief exchange.
Sunil Watagala Rejects Claims of Political Discussion.
Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala rejected the growing speculation around the conversation. He stated that he only spoke to Mahinda Rajapaksa about the sudden death of the young man and the possible reason behind it.
Watagala emphasized that he did not raise any political issues during the interaction. He added that he kept the discussion brief, respectful, and focused only on expressing condolences at the funeral.
Social Media Amplifies Brief Exchange Into Political Controversy.
Watagala criticized social media users for exaggerating the moment and turning a simple conversation into a political debate. He said online platforms distorted the context and created unnecessary assumptions about the content of the discussion.
Mahinda Rajapaksa also dismissed any deeper interpretation of the exchange, as he repeated that he could not recall the exact words spoken. The incident continues to circulate online, but both sides insist that the conversation carried no political intent.
