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Angajan Ramanathan

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Hon.
Angajan Ramanathan
MP
அங்கஜன் இராமநாதன்
අංගජන් රාමනාදන්
Deputy chairman of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
In office
20 August 2020 – 24 September 2024
Preceded bySelvam Adaikalanathan
Succeeded byHemali Weerasekara
Deputy Minister of Agriculture
In office
1 November 2018 – 15 December 2018
In office
12 June 2018 – 26 October 2018
Member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
In office
2020–2024
ConstituencyJaffna District
In office
2015–2020
ConstituencyNational List
Member of the Northern Provincial Council
In office
2013–2015
Succeeded byAgilathas Sivakkolunthu
ConstituencyJaffna District
Personal details
Born (1983-07-09) 9 July 1983 (age 41)
Political partySri Lanka Freedom Party
Other political
affiliations		Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance

Angajan Ramanathan (Tamil: அங்கஜன் இராமநாதன், romanized: Aṅkajaṉ Irāmanātaṉ; born 9 July 1983) is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, former provincial councillor and Member of Parliament.[1] He is the current Deputy chairman of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.[2]

Early life and family

[edit]

Ramanathan was born on 9 July 1983.[1] Ramanathan's father Sathasivam Ramanathan is an associate of Basil Rajapaksa, brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.[3] Sathasivam Ramanathan is reputed to have made billions from smuggling abroad refugees from the Sri Lankan Civil War and from government corruption.[4][5] Sathasivam Ramanathan, who has extensive business interests in Sri Lanka and the U.K., was refused entry to the U.K. in 1993 due to his involvement in providing false documents to migrants entering the U.K. and the European Union.[6]

Ramanathan was educated at Mahajana College, Tellippalai, S. Thomas' Preparatory School, Colombo International School and in Singapore.[7][8] He has bachelor's degree in computer engineering and MBA from Australia.[7][8]

Ramanathan is married to Prashanthini and has a child.[8]

Career

[edit]

Ramanathan contested the 2010 parliamentary election as one of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) electoral alliance's candidates in Jaffna District but failed to get elected after coming 7th amongst the UPFA candidates.[9] During the election campaign, on 31 March 2010, Ramanathan and supporters were attacked by Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), a government backed paramilitary group and a member of the UPFA.[10] In retaliation, the following day supporters of Ramanathan shot at Mayor of Jaffna Yogeswari Patkunarajah, a member of the EPDP.[11] In August 2010 Ramanathan was appointed Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organiser for Jaffna District by President Rajapaksa.[12]

Ramanathan contested the 2013 provincial council election as one of the UPFA's candidates in Jaffna District and was elected to the Northern Provincial Council.[13][14] During the election campaign, on 27 August 2013, a violent clash took place between UPFA candidates in Chavakachcheri during which Ramanathan's father Sathasivam Ramanathan opened fire on a group led A. Sarvananthan.[15][16] Sathasivam Ramanathan was arrested and remanded for attempted murder.[17][18][19] Also during the election campaign, a UPFA mob, including Ramanathan and his father, attacked Tamil National Alliance candidate P. Thambirajah.[20] The day before the election Ramanathan was still campaigning using SMS, violating electoral law.[21]

Ramanathan is alleged to have organised abductions and attacks on behalf of the Rajapaksa family.[22] Jaffna UPFA municipal councillor Suveeharan Nishanthan claims he was abducted and assaulted by Ramanathan and his father on 3 April 2013 in Colombo.[23]

Ramanathan contested the 2015 parliamentary election as one of the UPFA's candidates in Jaffna District but the UPFA failed to win any seats in the district.[24][25] However, after the election he was appointed to the Parliament of Sri Lanka as a National List MP representing the UPFA.[26][27][28] During the election campaign Ramanathan's supporters attacked supporters of the United Socialist Party.[29] He was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture in June 2018.[30][31][32] He lost his position at the start of the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis in October 2018 but was reappointed a few days later in the new government.[33][34][35] He lost his position following the end of the crisis in December 2018.

Ramanathan contested the 2020 parliamentary election as a SLFP candidate in Jaffna District and was re-elected.[36][37][38] His victory was attributed to the US$15,000 (Rs.2.7 million) he spent on Facebook advertising - the second highest of all candidates and ten times his nearest rival in Jaffna District, M. A. Sumanthiran - and the publicity provided by the private media network, consisting of the Capital FM radio station and the Capital News cable station, owned by his uncle S. Vincendrarajan.[39][40] Ratnajeevan Hoole, one of the three members of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, has accused Ramanathan of committing various violations of electoral law during the election campaign including using the Jaffna Kachcheri for electoral purposes, passing off government donations for the COVID-19 pandemic as his own, blocking public roads to hold election rallies and using Capital FM radio station and Capital News cable station, both owned by his uncle S. Vincendrarajan, for election propaganda.[41][42][43]

After the election Ramanathan was appointed chairman of the Jaffna District Coordinating Committee (DDC).[44][45] Ramanathan's first acts in his new role was to issue an order that all development activity in the district needs his approval and to appoint his father as his representative and co-ordinating officer in the DDC.[46] He also took over three offices in the Jaffna District Secretariat rather than customary one room.[47] Ramanathan was elected Deputy chairman of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka unopposed when the new parliament met on 20 August 2020.[48][49]

Electoral history

[edit]
Electoral history of Angajan Ramanathan
Election Constituency Party Alliance Votes Result
2010 parliamentary[9] Jaffna District Sri Lanka Freedom Party United People's Freedom Alliance 3,461 Not elected
2013 provincial[14] Jaffna District Sri Lanka Freedom Party United People's Freedom Alliance 10,034 Elected
2015 parliamentary Jaffna District Sri Lanka Freedom Party United People's Freedom Alliance Not elected
2020 parliamentary[50] Jaffna District Sri Lanka Freedom Party 36,365 Elected

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Directory of Members: Angajan Ramanathan". Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka: Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Handbook of Parliament: Deputy Chairpersons of Committees". Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka: Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  3. ^ Hoole, Ratnajeevan (14 September 2013). "The Collapsing Den of Thieves". Sri Lanka Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Big time racket of former a human smuggler and a paramilitary leader". Sri Lanka Guardian. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  5. ^ Jayadevan, Rajasingham (9 September 2013). "Inevitable TNA victory". Sri Lanka Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  6. ^ "R v. Secretary of State for the Foreign Department, ex p. Ramanathan". U.K.: Casemine. 30 March 1995. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  7. ^ a b Wijedasa, Namini (1 November 2012). "Jaffna: Development Without Trust". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Jayawardane, Ishara (28 January 2016). "Master of his fate". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Parliamentary General Election - 2010 - Jaffna Preferences" (PDF). Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka: Department of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2010.
  10. ^ "SLFP candidate attacked in Jaffna". TamilNet. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Ruling UPFA Mayor of Jaffna reports of an attempt on her life". TamilNet. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Rajapaksa appoints new SLFP organizer to North". TamilNet. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Provincial Council Elections Act, No. 2 of 1988 - Northern Province Provincial Council" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 1829/33. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 25 September 2013. p. 4A.
  14. ^ a b "Provincial Council Elections 2013 – Results and preferential votes: Northern Province". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  15. ^ "Rajapaksa party brings in gangster politics to Jaffna". TamilNet. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  16. ^ "UPFA chief ministerial candidate condemns intra-party shooting". Ceylon Today. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 3 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013.
  17. ^ "Intra-party violence due to PR system - Angajan". The Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 2 September 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015.
  18. ^ "SLFP Organizer Ankajan Father Ramanathan Released On Bail". Asian Tribune. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013.
  19. ^ Thambiah, Mirudhula (1 September 2013). "More intra-party violence than inter-party, say polls monitors". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Attack on TNA candidate Thambirajah". Kingston Upon Thames, U.K.: Tamil Information Centre. 20 August 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015.
  21. ^ "Northern Provincial Council Election 2013 – Communiqué No 7". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Centre for Policy Alternatives. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  22. ^ "Notorious SLFP Jaffna candidate put on national list after election loss". Tamil Guardian. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Former member of Jaffna UPFA MC says he was abducted and attacked". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Center for Human Rights and Research. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  24. ^ "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - The Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981 - Notice Under Section 24(1) - General Elections of Members of the Parliament" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 1923/3. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13 July 2015. p. 237A. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  25. ^ "Results of Parliamentary General Election 2015" (PDF). Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka: Election Commission of Sri Lanka. p. 76. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  26. ^ "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Parliamentary Election - 2015 - Declaration under Article 99A of the Constitution" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 1928/25. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 21 August 2015. p. 2A. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  27. ^ "UPFA finalises National list". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  28. ^ Balachandran, P. K. (22 August 2015). "SL President Sirisena Gains Control Over Parliament And Party". The New Indian Express. Chennai, India. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  29. ^ Kulasuriya, Madawa (11 August 2015). "USP supporters come under Paappa attack - Siritunga Jayasuriya reports UPFA supporters". Ceylon Today. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015.
  30. ^ "Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2078/14. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 3 July 2018. p. 2A. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  31. ^ "Seven new State and Deputy Ministers appointed". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  32. ^ "New State Ministers & Deputy Ministers sworn in". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  33. ^ "Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2095/17. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 1 November 2018. p. 2A. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  34. ^ de Alwis, Nathasha (1 November 2018). "New ministers sworn in". News First. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  35. ^ Kuruwita, Rathindra; Ferdinando, Shamindra (2 November 2018). "More ministers sworn in". The Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019.
  36. ^ "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2187/26. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8 August 2020. p. 5A. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  37. ^ "General Election 2020: Preferential votes of Jaffna District". Ceylon Today. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 7 August 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  38. ^ Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (8 August 2020). "TNA suffers electoral setback in North and East polls". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  39. ^ "Sri Lanka's big Facebook spenders". Tamil Guardian. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  40. ^ Rubatheesan, Sandran (16 August 2020). "US $ 10,000 media blitz helps SLFP earn unprecedented victory in Jaffna". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  41. ^ Hoole, Ratnajeevan (1 August 2020). "The EDR: the lynchpin in clean elections". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  42. ^ Hoole, Ratnajeevan (16 May 2020). "Right of Reply Dayasiri Jayasekara and SLFP/SLPP intimidate Election Commission". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  43. ^ "Chathurika Sirisena In Frequency Scam: DG TRCSL Rushes To Allocate Frequencies To Sirisena's Henchmen Illegally". Colombo Telegraph. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  44. ^ Bandara, Kelum (13 August 2020). "newly sworn Cabinet: New MPs receive more executive authority in new government". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  45. ^ "New Cabinet sworn in". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  46. ^ "No development projects should be carried out without his approval, says Jaffna DDC Co-Chair". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  47. ^ "Angajan demands three rooms at Jaffna District Secretariat". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  48. ^ "New Deputy Speaker apppointed [sic]". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  49. ^ "Angajan Ramanathan appointed Deputy Chairperson of Committees". Ceylon Today. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  50. ^ "General Election Preferential Votes". Daily News. Colombo Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka. 8 August 2020. p. 2. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
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