NPP Lawmaker Slams Namal Rajapaksa Over Nelson Mandela Quote, Calls Comparison Inappropriate

National People's Power (NPP) parliamentarian Dr. Najith Indika has launched a sharp attack on Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa, criticising him for invoking the name and words of former South African President Nelson Mandela in what the NPP legislator described as a deeply inappropriate comparison.

A Quote That Sparked Controversy

Dr. Najith Indika did not mince words when responding to Namal Rajapaksa's decision to cite the iconic anti-apartheid leader, pointedly reminding the public of a key distinction between the two figures.

"Mandela wasn't jailed for corruption,"

the NPP MP stated, drawing a clear line between Nelson Mandela's internationally recognised struggle for justice and human dignity, and the legal and political controversies that have surrounded the Rajapaksa family name in recent years.

A Pointed Political Rebuke

The criticism reflects growing tensions between Sri Lanka's ruling NPP administration and the opposition SLPP, the party founded under the Rajapaksa political dynasty. Dr. Indika's remarks were aimed at highlighting what he sees as an attempt by Namal Rajapaksa to draw an unwarranted parallel with one of history's most celebrated leaders.

Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years imprisoned by South Africa's apartheid regime before becoming the country's first democratically elected president, is widely regarded as a global symbol of sacrifice, moral integrity, and the fight against systemic oppression — qualities the NPP lawmaker suggested bear no resemblance to the circumstances facing the Rajapaksa political family.

Political Context

Namal Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been working to rebuild the SLPP's image and electoral relevance following the party's dramatic fall from power amid Sri Lanka's unprecedented economic crisis of 2022. His use of Mandela's words appears to have been intended as a rallying message, but it has instead drawn fierce pushback from political rivals.

Dr. Indika's remarks are likely to resonate with sections of the Sri Lankan public who remain deeply critical of the Rajapaksa administration's role in the country's economic collapse, and who view any comparison to Mandela as not only misplaced but politically opportunistic.

The exchange underscores the increasingly combative nature of Sri Lanka's parliamentary politics as both the NPP government and opposition parties position themselves ahead of future electoral contests.