The ITN has banned an episode of Kopikade – the longest-running teledrama in South Asia – as it featured a ‘Grama Sevaka’ who had gone mad.
Colombo Telegraph also learns that the episode titled ‘Grama Sevakata Pissu’ featured a manic Gramasevaka wielding a sword and going berserk in the village.
The episode was not telecasted during the regular airtime of the teledrama and the circumstances that led to the ban are still not clear. However, it can be assumed that the authorities of the channel came to the conclusion that the episode amounted to a veiled attack on President Maithripala Sirisena who was a Grama Seveka in the Polonnaruwa area in the 1970s.
Sirisena also made a famous remark about his “sword” that he will use against the corrupt elements in the government. The statement drew ridicule from many quarters as Sirisena failed to pursue any effective action against corruption and even went on to appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister.
Thakshila Jayawardena, a civil society activist, filed a writ petition the Court of Appeal last month seeking a mandate in the nature of a writ of Mandamus against IGP Pujith Jayasundara and the Fort Police HQ OIC directing them to institute judicial proceedings in district courts by virtue of section 2 of the Mental Diseases Ordinance for the purpose of inquiring state of mind of President Maithripala Sirisena.
Although the Court of Appeal dismissed the case, the act of filing a petition regarding the state of mind of President Sirisena sparked an intense debate in society about the sanity of the President.
kalu bokke / February 1, 2019
goo sevakaya must be impeached.
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Rarityminds / February 1, 2019
Can feel the way you feel it… no words to express our fury.
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This man should be impeached. No doubt at all in anyone s mind today. He is absolutely a birth failure.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / February 1, 2019
At least he had not killed the producers like Premadasa who got Richard Zoysa and councillor Gunaratne murdered for producing the play “Who is he what is he doing” portraying Premadasa as a mad doctor in Angoda mental hospital.
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Amarasiri / February 1, 2019
kalu bokke,
Somebody should write a book, Pissu Janathipathi.
Wadura Saha Kaduwa.
Mad President: Monkey and the sword.
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Simon De Silva / February 1, 2019
Amarasiri,
.
Let s get ready to stone the man, that would be the only way he would understand.
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If no other options left, we can do it next days, we can travel back home. We are so fed up of the silly acts of this BP.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / February 1, 2019
Amarasiri can you get that episode into You Tube please.
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Amarasiri / February 2, 2019
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
Here is going to be copyright issue. Only the owner/producer can do that, or others with permission.
After all we all saw the dram live the past 3 years, especially after Oct 26th, 208.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / February 1, 2019
Amarasiri, the title should be Booruwa saha Kaduwa. To compare MS to a monkey is an insult to an intelligent living being.
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Amarasiri / February 2, 2019
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / February 1, 2019,
Amatasiri’s apologies to the monkeys, for any unintended insults. Booruwa saha Kaduwa. would require an apology to the Buruwa’s , Donkey’s as well.
The drama is not over, yet. SLFP wants BP Sirisena to be presidential candidate.
We may have to “enjoy” part of this drama as well, in this Land like no other!
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mike / February 2, 2019
Amarasiri – I suggest “Medamulana Meeharaka saha Kaduwa”!
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Amarasiri / February 3, 2019
Mike,
You mean, the Medamulana Meeharsla, Medamulana Fake Prime Minister and the Kaduwa?
That way, no need for apologies to the Meeharskas, as the specific Meeharaka is named.
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RP / February 1, 2019
Amarasiri,
We need a tele-drama about the Central Bank robbery. If you want, take the character of RaviK or Arjun Mahendran!
Currently there is one about Don Juan Dharmapala (you know who he is today!) But the title is Dona Catrina!
Amarasiri should watch it before jumping to acting!
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Amarasiri / February 1, 2019
RP,
Sorry, Ravi Penthouse and Mahendran are not Amarasiri’s role models, and neither is BP Sirisena.
Would prefer the role model of Sri Wickrama Rajadinghe of Sitavaka.
Jon Juan and Dona Catherina, are traitors, just loke BP Sirisena.
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mike / February 2, 2019
RP – Rest in Peace!
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mike / February 2, 2019
Amarasiri – I agree. Attention: Dr Dayan, warmonger and public racist#1. Please write a book titled “PISSU JANATHIPATHI: WADURA SAHA KADUWA.” (“Mad President: Monkey And The Sword”). If you need finance, consult “Tsunami Hora”!
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Amarasiri / February 3, 2019
Mike,
Good idea. Let each commentator write a chapter, reviewed, by other, put into a book, printed and electronic, in all 3 languages, Sinhala, Tamil and English, and distribute it widely. Who knows, we may also get the Nobel Literature prize.
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Champa / February 1, 2019
Yes, it should be banned and the producer and the director should be warned.
No country will allow anyone to humiliate its President by way teledramas, movies or stories.
It is noteworthy that the President has never tried to hide his first job in the public sector, instead expressed his pride in serving people at a ward level.
Every employee in every service in the public sector is a part and parcel of the largest public administrative body of the country.
They provide a vital service to the nation irrespective of their individual social status.
Therefore, no public servant should be subjected to humiliation based on his occupation or service. If this was done to a private sector employee, he will go to courts.
It is time Sri Lanka should emerge from this tribal mentality that certain jobs are great while others are menial.
From labourer to the President, every man who engaged in a job provides an honourable and valuable service to the country.
The President was under personal attack by some sections of the society because he hails from an ordinary family in a village.
If he had a Colombo elite background, nobody would insult him.
The 90% of the population who hail from ordinary families should make sure to retain the Executive Presidency among themselves in the future too.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / February 1, 2019
Champa there are several skits about Donald Trump. Has he ever banned anyone of them. Policy should be let the dogs bark, caravan should move on. By banning this teledrama episode Sirisena has accepted that what is told in that is true.
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Champa / February 2, 2019
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
Satire can be accepted, and that is also to a certain extent.
But humiliating someone based on his occupation is not acceptable in a civilized society.
It is not the Presidency they laughing at. It is the first job of the President they are laughing at, which is downright mean.
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Ajith / February 2, 2019
Champa,
Do you still Sirisena is legally valid to hold his position as President. If any of the President found guilty of political coup against their nation, they will be removed immediately or resigned. Srilanka is the only country that allows those who violated the constitution, rule of law and commited bribes and murders.
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Doratupala / February 2, 2019
Mad Graama Sevakas, Robbers specializing on Central Banks, worlds best Finance Minister who has no clue as to who pays his luxury apartment rent etc etc . , National governments with oppositions, United but not quite unitary states, self sufficiency in rice after FOUR full centuries !
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Amarasiri / February 1, 2019
ITN,
This is entertainment.
Is Sirisena is acting that part is just s mere coincidence.
We demand that you show this entertainment, Pissu Gamarala.
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Lankan / February 1, 2019
MS is like Donald Trump. They do not like media . This is sign of desperate decline his power. He will be feeling it soon. Now already but more feeling will come when one by one all give him up
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Navin / February 1, 2019
Most leaders who act like dictators dislike the media. They make the main stream media the enemy, so that naive people will cease to believe any articles, or investigative reports, because before long the crimes perpetrated by this “dictators”, will be reported, and they will be criticized. These despots do not want the public to find out, so the best tactic is to call the “fake news”. This is exactly what is happening in the US. He has made naive people disbelieve the main stream media, and believe the conspiracy websites. If people had half a brain, they would learn to independently research and fact check, instead of believing leaders who are proven liars.
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Kumaran / February 1, 2019
Dont compare this idiot with Trump. Trump is not corrupt, he loves his nation and he is never allowed neither will do anything as disastrous as this corrupt fool has done. Trump has regular media discussions etc its only the CNN that misleads his actions.
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Navin / February 2, 2019
Trump is not corrupt? What planet are you living in? He has played out students in his fake university, and they took him to court, where he had to pay them millions of dollars, he does not pay contractors who work for him and they sued him to get paid, his businesses were bankrupt many times, he is rotten to the core, a real con man, who only naive people keep believing. Fact checkers find he has lied more than 8000 times since he became president. CNN is far more believable than this unqualified con man.
“Donald Trump will finally pay out a $25 million (£20m) settlement to students after a judge signed off on claims against his fake university.
Judge Gonzalo Curiel, of the Southern District of California, declared the settlement “final” after an appeals court rejected arguments from a former student who wanted to pursue a separate lawsuit against the now defunct Trump University. ” The Gurdian
And
“A Maryland-based electrical contractor claims they worked “nonstop” to get President Trump’s new Washington hotel ready in time for a televised campaign stop in September — and then got stiffed on the bill.
AES Electrical, which is also known as Freestate Electrical, has filed suit in Washington D.C.’s Superior Court to recoup the $2,075,731.61 it claims it is still owed for helping turn the Old Post Office into the luxury Trump International Hotel.” NBC news
Only ignorant supporters of Trump think he is making America great again, more like making the Trump family rich again.
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Navin / February 2, 2019
More on ethically and morally challenged Trump:
“Donald Trump has made more than 8,000 misleading statements or blatant lies within his first two years of his presidential term, according to fact checkers.
The Washington Post’s Fact Checker tallied up the total of Mr Trump’s false statements and downright lies from Inauguration Day to January 20, 2019, and the number is astonishing: 8,158.
Furthermore, approximately 6,000 of the 8,158 false statements were made in 2018.” The Independent UK
Trump does not love his nation, he uses it to enrich his businesses.
Learn to fact check. He has duped his supporters by calling the media fake news, so that they will not believe the real facts.
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Babalathappu / February 1, 2019
He will not succeed in getting such programs banned. SOCIAL media will turn out to excoriate him next few months. People are now fed up seeing him live. If his actions would repeat, people would for sure medieval methods to get rid of the man, no doubt I have in my mind. People are being boiled by their angers.
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People hate this man so much going extra mile than by end of 2014. He is the most abusive of all the composition of lanken politicians. Surgeons guess if he may have got cross implanted his orifices during recelty made foreign trips.
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MAMS / February 1, 2019
Mara had many sataricals on his Presidential deeds & misdeeds. He also participated in Live shows. But Sira seems that he is above sense of humour. Poor gamarala. This is his level of education and immaturity as politician. The architect of SLFP SWRD must be eternally crying in his grave.
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M. Sajjad / February 1, 2019
Despite his recently changes, Sirisena was still a modest and simple person. Give him some respects and study what changed him go so bad. There is no point or productivity in making fun of people.
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Manilal / February 1, 2019
When bouts of ploughing is the criteria for presidential candidature, do not be surprised by the results.
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Champa / February 1, 2019
Manial
Your choice for eligibility for a presidential candidate may be robbing banks and lining pockets with commissions or job-wise, bankers, lawyers, businessmen or the likes.
But any citizen in this country is eligible and entitled to be the President.
A handful of selected crowd who held high class jobs or said to be highly educated or hailed from popular families have ruled the country for 71 years without any success. They are the people who made the country indebted and dependent to foreign countries.. It is time to let people of other sectors like, agriculture, trade, labour, teaching, clerical, indigenous medicine, to rule the country.
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CondemnedLizaPriceless / February 1, 2019
M. Sajjad,
Is the word “respects” the plural of respect? Did you learn “some” English from the Gamarala? We will respect anyone if he or she will earn the respect. What kind of respect does anyone deserve by banning a teledrama and any artist or screen writer’s freedom to express? Our LUNATIC president must be IMPEACHED and institutionalized at Angoda. Liberate the country on February the 04th by impeaching the LUNATIC!
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M. Sajjad / February 2, 2019
WOW, here comes SL’s Agatha Christie! Yes, that was wrong, thanks for pointing it. Does that make your day, cute?
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Saviman Kabalana / February 1, 2019
those who insist that Frederica Janz must come out of closet, let her lie low. I know her US papers are still not in order.
The brave lady will come back when ready.
Iqbal Aththas has re-emerged. Hooray!
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Buddhist / February 1, 2019
Petty minded, uneducated Maithripala can only do this.
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Amarasiri / February 3, 2019
Buddhist,
Sirisena is a Para-Sinhala Para-“Buddhist”. They are insults to Buddha.
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Ayathuray Rajasingam / February 1, 2019
President is not sportive. If he cannot take it easily, how can he be a President of country..
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K.Pillai / February 1, 2019
Of course the State-Run ITN must ban the Kopikade Episode if one is left with the impression that Grama Sevakas drink only coffee. Some prefer tea.
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mike / February 2, 2019
Kater-Pillai – But this former Grama Sevaka and currently pea-brain President prefers human flesh!
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Arul Sivapalan / February 2, 2019
Presidential power corrupted him and
assuming absolute Presidential power
has made him go mad !
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critical thinking / February 2, 2019
It is going to be a three way competition.. three games.. MR VS MS VS RANIL. I hope AKD also joins them and AKD will win. He is best of all 4 … Let us see it.. AKD must compete this presidential election. All Tamils will vote him.. Sinhalese votes will split into 4. so, AKD can will with all minority votes.. I hope upcountry will vote for AKD too.
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Spring Koha / February 2, 2019
Who needs a soap opera when we have the real thing?
Pres. MS has been driven mad by the PM that he reluctantly accepted as part of the deal to challenge the Great Liberator. Subsequent events have driven him mad. No doubt helped by the fact that he is in a position beyond his capabilities (good example of the Peter principle).
Now the day of reckoning is coming, and the poor man’s nerves are shredding with the uncertain future ahead. He looks from one adviser to the next; who is friend, who is foe. A slow descent into madness.
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Good Sense / February 3, 2019
There is a strong possibility that HE is involved in the virtual censoring or banning the TV program. What baffles me is that firstly the ITN is a state organisation and its line Minister is Honourable Mangy. It is the Finance Minister/Ministry that has the real say in appointing the board of directors as the Secretary to the Treasury is the near 100% shareholder. Again Honourable Mangy has the say. Are we to infer that Mangy too has given his nod to the whims of HE so that the censorship/banning of the program is effectively carried out?
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