Angajan Ramanathan Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Hon.
Angajan Ramanathan
Native Name:Tamil: அங்கஜன் இராமநாதன்
අංගජන් රාමනාදන්
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Office1:Deputy chairman of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
Term Start1:20 August 2020
Predecessor1:Selvam Adaikalanathan
Office2:Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Term Start2:1 November 2018
Term End2:15 December 2018
Term Start3:12 June 2018
Term End3:26 October 2018
Office4:Member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
Constituency4:Jaffna District
Term Start4:2020
Constituency5:National List
Term Start5:2015
Term End5:2020
Office6:Member of the Northern Provincial Council
Constituency6:Jaffna District
Term Start6:2013
Term End6:2015
Successor6:Agilathas Sivakkolunthu
Birth Date:9 July 1983
Party:Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Otherparty:Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance

Angajan Ramanathan (Tamil: அங்கஜன் இராமநாதன்|translit=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

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

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

Election! scope=col
Constituencyscope=col colspan="2"Partyscope=col colspan="2"Alliancescope=colVotesscope=colResult
Not elected
Elected
Not elected
2020 parliamentary[50] Elected

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Directory of Members: Angajan Ramanathan . . 16 September 2020 . Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka.
  2. Web site: Handbook of Parliament: Deputy Chairpersons of Committees . . 16 September 2020 . Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka.
  3. News: Hoole . Ratnajeevan . Ratnajeevan Hoole . The Collapsing Den of Thieves . 16 September 2020 . Sri Lanka Guardian . 14 September 2013.
  4. News: Big time racket of former a human smuggler and a paramilitary leader . 16 September 2020 . Sri Lanka Guardian . 23 January 2012.
  5. News: Jayadevan . Rajasingham . Inevitable TNA victory . 16 September 2020 . Sri Lanka Guardian . 9 September 2013.
  6. Web site: R v. Secretary of State for the Foreign Department, ex p. Ramanathan . Casemine . 16 September 2020 . U.K. . 30 March 1995.
  7. News: Wijedasa . Namini . Jaffna: Development Without Trust . 16 September 2020 . Colombo Telegraph . 1 November 2012.
  8. News: Jayawardane . Ishara . Master of his fate . 16 September 2020 . . 28 January 2016 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  9. Web site: Parliamentary General Election - 2010 - Jaffna Preferences . . https://web.archive.org/web/20100513035254/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/GE2010_preferences/Jaffna_pref_GE2010.pdf . 13 May 2010 . Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka.
  10. News: SLFP candidate attacked in Jaffna . 16 September 2020 . . 1 April 2010.
  11. News: Ruling UPFA Mayor of Jaffna reports of an attempt on her life . 16 September 2020 . . 1 April 2010.
  12. News: Rajapaksa appoints new SLFP organizer to North . 16 September 2020 . . 22 August 2010.
  13. Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Provincial Council Elections Act, No. 2 of 1988 - Northern Province Provincial Council . The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary . 25 September 2013 . 1829/33 . 4A . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  14. News: Provincial Council Elections 2013 – Results and preferential votes: Northern Province . 16 September 2020 . . 26 September 2013 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  15. News: Rajapaksa party brings in gangster politics to Jaffna . 16 September 2020 . . 28 August 2013.
  16. News: UPFA chief ministerial candidate condemns intra-party shooting . . 3 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130903082917/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/51-41615-news-detail-upfa-chief-ministerial-candidate-condemns-intra-party-shooting.html . 3 September 2013 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  17. News: Intra-party violence due to PR system - Angajan . . 2 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150928071535/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=87142 . 28 September 2015 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  18. News: SLFP Organizer Ankajan Father Ramanathan Released On Bail . . 19 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130921025413/http://www.asiantribune.com/node/64698 . 21 September 2013 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  19. News: Thambiah . Mirudhula . More intra-party violence than inter-party, say polls monitors . 16 September 2020 . . 1 September 2013 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  20. Web site: Attack on TNA candidate Thambirajah . Tamil Information Centre . 20 August 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150928202754/http://www.ticonline.org/newsdetails.php?id=212 . 28 September 2015 . Kingston Upon Thames, U.K..
  21. Web site: Northern Provincial Council Election 2013 – Communiqué No 7 . 16 September 2020 . Centre for Policy Alternatives . 21 September 2013 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  22. News: Notorious SLFP Jaffna candidate put on national list after election loss . 16 September 2020 . . 21 August 2015.
  23. Web site: Former member of Jaffna UPFA MC says he was abducted and attacked . Center for Human Rights and Research . 9 April 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203110/http://www.chrsrilanka.com/_Former_member_of_Jaffna_UPFA_MC_says_he_was_abducted_and_attacked-5-3165.html . 23 September 2015 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  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 . The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary . 13 July 2015 . 1923/3 . 237A . 11 August 2015 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  25. Web site: Results of Parliamentary General Election 2015 . . 16 September 2020 . Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka . 76.
  26. Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Parliamentary Election - 2015 - Declaration under Article 99A of the Constitution . The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary . 21 August 2015 . 1928/25 . 2A . 22 August 2015 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  27. News: UPFA finalises National list . 16 September 2020 . . 21 August 2015 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  28. News: Balachandran . P. K. . SL President Sirisena Gains Control Over Parliament And Party . 16 September 2020 . . 22 August 2015 . Chennai, India.
  29. News: Kulasuriya . Madawa . USP supporters come under Paappa attack - Siritunga Jayasuriya reports UPFA supporters . . 11 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150928205131/https://ceylontoday.lk/51-100647-news-detail-usp-supporters-come-under-paappa-attack-siritunga-jayasuriya-reports-upfa-supporters.html . 28 September 2015 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  30. Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President . The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary . 3 July 2018 . 2078/14 . 2A . 4 July 2018 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  31. News: Seven new State and Deputy Ministers appointed . 16 September 2020 . . 13 June 2018 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  32. News: New State Ministers & Deputy Ministers sworn in . 16 September 2020 . . 13 June 2018 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  33. Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President . The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary . 1 November 2018 . 2095/17 . 2A . 6 November 2018 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  34. News: de Alwis . Nathasha . New ministers sworn in . 16 September 2020 . . 1 November 2018 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  35. News: Kuruwita . Rathindra . Ferdinando . Shamindra . More ministers sworn in . . 2 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190102050530/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=193730 . 2 January 2019 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  36. Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981 . The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary . 8 August 2020 . 2187/26 . 5A . 9 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  37. News: General Election 2020: Preferential votes of Jaffna District . 16 September 2020 . . 7 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka . 27 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027094033/https://ceylontoday.lk/news/general-election-2020-preferential-votes-of-jaffna-district . dead .
  38. News: Jeyaraj . D. B. S. . TNA suffers electoral setback in North and East polls . 16 September 2020 . . 8 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  39. News: Sri Lanka's big Facebook spenders . 16 September 2020 . . 4 August 2020.
  40. News: Rubatheesan . Sandran . US $ 10,000 media blitz helps SLFP earn unprecedented victory in Jaffna . 16 September 2020 . . 16 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  41. News: Hoole . Ratnajeevan . Ratnajeevan Hoole . The EDR: the lynchpin in clean elections . . 1 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  42. News: Hoole . Ratnajeevan . Ratnajeevan Hoole . Right of Reply Dayasiri Jayasekara and SLFP/SLPP intimidate Election Commission . . 16 May 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  43. News: Chathurika Sirisena In Frequency Scam: DG TRCSL Rushes To Allocate Frequencies To Sirisena's Henchmen Illegally . 16 September 2020 . Colombo Telegraph . 6 December 2018.
  44. News: Bandara . Kelum . newly sworn Cabinet: New MPs receive more executive authority in new government . 16 September 2020 . . 13 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  45. News: New Cabinet sworn in . 16 September 2020 . . 12 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  46. News: No development projects should be carried out without his approval, says Jaffna DDC Co-Chair . 16 September 2020 . . 23 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  47. News: Angajan demands three rooms at Jaffna District Secretariat . 16 September 2020 . . 23 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  48. News: New Deputy Speaker }} ]. 16 September 2020 . . 20 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  49. News: Angajan Ramanathan appointed Deputy Chairperson of Committees . 16 September 2020 . . 20 August 2020 . Colombo, Sri Lanka . 26 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211026094655/https://ceylontoday.lk/news/angajan-ramanathan-appointed-deputy-chairperson-of-committees . dead .
  50. News: General Election Preferential Votes . 20 September 2020 . . 8 August 2020 . Colombo Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka . 2.

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