Response to SJB’s allegations over Sajith’s participation in ‘Derana 360°’ program

Seven candidates contesting the 2024 Presidential Election were each given the opportunity to participate in a special ‘Derana 360°’ program, according to the equal-ground policy followed by Ada Derana.

Accordingly, Ada Derana had also invited the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa.

The seven special ‘Derana 360°’ programs commenced airing from Thursday (Sept. 12).

After informing SJB leader Sajith Premadasa of this, based on his advice a secretary managing his diary confirmed that the ‘Derana 360°’ program could be conducted as a live recording and the date was also noted down in his diary as September 17. 

Following that, on several occasions the Derana News Director exchanged views with Mr. Premadasa over the phone related to this program while the the trailers related to the program also began airing from September 11.

Meanwhile, advertisements announcing that Sajith Premadasa will participate in special program on September 17 were also published on newspapers.

Ada Derana can responsibly state that on Sunday (September 15), the Derana News Director spoke with Lakshman Fonseka, a representative of Sajith Premadasa, about the recording of the program. 

During that conversation, at no point was it communicated that Mr. Sajith Premadasa would not be participating in the program or that the airing of the related trailers should be halted.

However, in the morning of September 17, Mr. Sajith Premadasa informed the Derana News Director over the phone that he will not be able to participate in the ‘Derana 360°’ program.

Accordingly, TV Derana halted the airing of the trailers related to this program.

Subsequently, as a responsible media channel TV Derana informed its viewers about this sudden change and quickly assigned the airtime originally designated for the ‘Derana 360°’ program for the ‘Wadapitiya’ program.

However, despite all this, at 3.55 p.m. on September 17, the Media Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Erananda Hettiarachchi, in a letter sent via WhatsApp, accused TV Derana of broadcasting the trailers for the program without the approval of Mr. Sajith Premadasa while claiming that he had not confirmed his participation in the program.

However, the Derana News Director immediately sent a reply letter via WhatsApp to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s Media Secretary, Erananda Hettiarachchi, rejecting the allegation.

However, in a press conference held today (18), the National Organiser of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Tissa Attanayake, stated a complaint would be filed with the Election Commission to conduct an investigation against TV Derana in relation to this incident. 

Derana would like emphasize that it stands ready to face any investigation if an investigation is conducted based on such a complaint made by MP Tissa Attanayake.

Derana would also like to point out to MP Tissa Attanayake that Derana possess sufficient evidence confirming that Mr. Sajith Premadasa was aware of his participation in the special ‘Derana 360°’ program on September 17.

Derana would also like to remind MP Tissa Attanayake that the organization has not implemented any policy giving extra advantages to any presidential candidate during this entire election period, and urge him to compare this with other television channels and draw his own conclusions.

In conclusion, Derana would like to express its disappointment and regret regarding the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa not making use of the opportunity provided to him and for sending such irrational letters and making such allegations.