Ranil condemns Derana TV for calling a woman a ‘bitch’
Condemning a television station for using the term ‘belli’ (meaning bitch) to describe the way a woman sang ‘Danno budunge’ at the Independence Day ceremony, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he will be summoning the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority and the management of Derana TV to look into the matter as such irresponsible behavior cannot be treated lightly.
“I was shocked to hear such a derogatory term being used in the Derana news bulletin. They said the woman concerned was barking like a bitch (‘Belliyek wage kegahanawa’). They could have said that she sang the song in western or oriental style or more in Icelandic or Chinese style, praise or criticize it or even say she danced while singing, but can they say on television that this woman sang like a bitch?”, the premier queried.
Making a special statement from Heritage Hotel in Badulla, the Prime Minister further said: “What I am asking is whether a television or radio station refer to a woman and say she was barking like a bitch while singing a song? Who has the right to do this”.
“During the Rajapaksa era, they used unpleasant words to scold all of us. But, they won’t be allowed to resort to such behavior now. There are still pro-Rajapaksa elements trying to create discord.
“Though television and radio channels are owned by the respective institutions, licences to telecast/broadcast is given by the government. How can we give licences when they use derogatory terms such as bitch to describe a woman singing a song? We won’t allow such despicable behavior by those to whom permits are given for public telecasts. We are not prepared to give them a free hand to abuse the privilege given to them.
“Has Derana TV already inquired into this incident and initiated disciplinary action? Have they decided to apologize for it or not? I will summon the management and the TRCSL to find out how this was allowed to happen.
“We won’t allow anybody to incite and provoke racialism in this country again. There is the Rajapaksa clan at work, but we won’t allow them to trigger communal hatred. They say that the mother is the goddess at home, but did they condemn the disgraceful manner in which a woman was equated with a bitch?
“Now some journalists will shout from rooftops that the Prime Minister is trying to meddle with the media. Why were they silent when such a despicable word was used over this television channel? We must seek the opinion of the country.
“We have given pride of place to women. Their representation in local bodies are being increased. In the earlier Parliament, there were only six women but seven Rajapaksas! When we wanted to discuss greater women representation in power, the Rajapaksa clan disrupted it last Tuesday. They started shouting and didn’t allow us to present it in Parliament. We want to set aside 25% allocation for women in local bodies. But, this clan is opposing it.
“This shows how this clan treats women. They don’t want greater women representation in power sharing. Under this government, the national anthem was sung in Tamil as well on Independence Day. We have earned the respect of the world because we believe in equal right to all our people”
(Source: The Island)
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I perceive this as a an aggressive speech by Hon PM. Though I understand his personal feeling of comparing the voice of the Opera singer who sung a highly respected Buddhist Song in Opera style to a voice of a b****, I do not understand why he is threatening to cancel the license of TV channels for their errant behaviour. This not the media freedom promised.
Who will condemn PM’s speech for the media personals, when he used words as ‘Wanduro’, ‘Kabarayo’, ‘Nari’, ‘Hiwallu’,’KalaWeddo’.
It’s good to use by him but not by others.
This is not a good leadership quality.
Ranil is slowly pulling media out and the media freedom.
This is the reason he can’t hold the PMs office for longer in the history too.
Anyone who knows sinhala language will know that the comment on the Derana TV didn’t say the singer was a “bitch”. This shows the prime minister’s lack of fluency in Sinhala language.
The comment was “in the villages, if a “female cat” (Balali and not a balli, therefore not a bitch) starts making unpleasant noise the villagers used to chase her away using a broken brick. He never directly said that the singer was like a bitch or a female cat.
That TV host never said the female singer is similar to a bitch. Only our prime minister is now saying that the singer is singing like a bitch.
In the same speech, the prime minister also said “ballanta balu wada karanna denn ba” means “he will not allow dogs to do doggy work”. While he was pointing his finger at others doesn’t he do the same thing by calling others dogs (balla)? Isn’t that similarly indirect hitting as the TV Derana? Does it mean prime minister is the only one who can talk like that?
He was accusing others in the parliament too, but who called other parliamentarians”monkies”, “dogs” etc ?
Prime minister, do you have the correct education and decency to set examples to the rest of the country before you accuse others?
high time the Sri-Lankan Media was given a lesson on code of ethics, just because they got the freedom of the press does not mean they can slander and abuse people, cause communal hatred. journalist should remember that whatever they report is read and viewed around the world so please stop trying to prove we are really a banana republic.
Thank you Majula for explaining the terms “balali” and “balli”; your understanding of these terms are great; much appreciated. I am sure you are well experienced in the use of these terms, as well. Your eloquence, especially in the use of these terms, are excellent. Thanks again.
The PM made a mistake; I apologise on his behalf. Being a Royalist and belonging to that class of society to which he belongs, I am sure he had never before come across such derogatory terms referring to females.
Poor man, RW, he is in the wrong job in which he has to deal with, on a daily basis, the riff-raff society which dominates parliament and politics in Sri Lanka.
RW is an ultimate patriot (clearly demonstrated by his giving up his legitimate claim to the Executive prsidency in 2010 and 2015) AND HIS LOVE FOR OUR LAND, IS IMMEASURABLE..
Hi Peter,
Who gives a shit which school he went to. Most Sri Lankans know he is a traitor and a crook. He should have been kicked out of the UNP long time a go. He cooked up all of these false claims of theft by MR and his family because that was the only way to defeat MR and the Sri Lankans were very Naive to believe all the bull shit he fed them. I am still waiting to see one person go to prison .He is a traitor. He is trying to divide the country .
Peter, who do you think you are to appologise on behalf of a crooked and so called royalist prime minister who you think belongs to some kind of dreamland class of society that no one cares anymore in the modern world?
If he doesn’t belong to the “common man” that is the first admission that he is not suitable to be a leader for the common man. Parliament is not a “night club” operated by few rich crooks like RW.
Legitimate claim to exec presidency ! , ha ha what a joke for a “rejected” man by the voters in 2010 and 2015.