Opposition in Lanka accuses President of misusing national anthem in poll campaign

Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party today accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa of resorting to the "meanest methods of electioneering" to win a possible third consecutive term in office.

In a statement, the UNP said, "after robbing the country's wealth and all other resources, now the Rajapaksa regime has begun robbing our own National Anthem."

"Borrowing words from our sacred National Anthem and producing cheap commercials to drive home a point that Mahinda Rajapaksa is the creator of all good things about Sri Lanka deserves contempt and condemnation by all patriotic citizens," the party said.

"These tactics desecrate not only our National Anthem; they leave a black spot on our nation. It belittles the high office that Mahinda Rajapaksa holds today."

The UNP said using words and phrases of the national anthem was a blatant violation of the Constitution. This kind of conduct by the President warrants an impeachment against him, it said.

The party, according to the Lanka Page web site, said the national anthem and the national flag are the property belonging to the people of Sri Lanka and abusing such property for his personal gain is violating the Public Property Act of Sri Lanka.

The statement said, "It is utterly unpatriotic to pose as an equal to the sovereign nation of Sri Lanka and Mahinda Rajapaksa is guilty of that offence.