News Today: Batalanda report aimed at influencing Local Government Elections

SJB MP Mujibur Rahman has strongly criticized the recent revival of the Batalanda report, claiming it is a politically motivated move designed to manipulate public sentiment ahead of the upcoming Local Government Elections. In a media briefing held yesterday, the MP did not hold back, comparing the decades-old report to a “garbage dump” being dug up for political theatre.

“The Batalanda report is over 30 years old. It was submitted to Parliament in 2001 and ignored ever since. Now suddenly, after Al-Jazeera mentioned it, the government wants to act like it matters again,” Rahman said.

He questioned the timing of its resurgence, arguing that the ruling party is using it as a distraction tactic. “This is not a genuine debate on Batalanda. This is ‘Chandalanda’—a dirty political game meant to stir emotions and divert attention before the Local Government Elections,” he stated.

Rahman also alleged that the government will likely discard the issue after it has served its purpose. “Once the elections are over, this report will go back into the trash where they found it. This is how they operate—pure manipulation,” he added.

The Batalanda report, tied to alleged human rights violations during the 1988-89 period, has remained a controversial document in Sri Lanka’s political history. Its sudden return to public discourse has sparked criticism across political lines, with many questioning whether it is being used for legitimate justice or political mileage.