NPC Opposition Leader gets back his bag of coins

Many objections were raised when the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) organised a memorial event in collaboration with the University of Jaffna’s students union for the war dead on May 18, in Mullivaikaal, Mulliativu where the three decades of conflict came to an end, nine years ago.

Opposition Leader S. Thavarasa was one among them alleging mismanagement by organisers, particularly the university students, who he said ran the show side-lining the NPC members.

Mr Thavarasa speaking at a NPC meeting convened after the event went one step further demanding a refund of his contribution of Rs 7000 to the organising committee. He claimed he regretted to donate to such a memorial event. He would not have thought that his mere statement stirred up some student groups to commence a campaign against him.

Eastern

University students who also took part in the memorial event - took the Opposition Leader’s words to heart and launched a campaign of collecting one rupee each from the people to return Mr Thavarasa’s money.

Eastern University students travelled to the NPC building in Kaithady, Jaffna, to handover the collection of one rupee coins amounting to Rs 7000. Since the Opposition Leader was not present at that council meeting, Council Chair and Chief Minister too refused to accept the money on behalf of him.

Thereafter, students who tracked down Mr. Thavarasa’s private residence in Kokuvil, left the bag of coins at the door step. They also left a label behind calling it ‘cursed money.’ When a police officer assigned for personal protection of NPC Opposition Leader’s residence checked the bag and counted the coins, he found Rs. 963 short of the total of Rs 7000.