NPP denies accusations over silence on visa outsourcing fiasco

• Dismisses accusations NPP and its leader have been silent on the visa and passport crisis in a bid to protect Minister or chosen person 
• Stresses it was a youth linked to NPP who first revealed the VFS visa scam and the party has been continuously agitating against it 

National People’s Power (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath yesterday dismissed accusations that the party or its Presidential candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had remained silent on the matter. 



He said that it was a youth affiliated with the NPP who first exposed the VFS visa scam at the Bandaranaike International Airport, and whose video went viral. “People only became aware of the scam through his efforts. Therefore, we have consistently intervened in the matter,” he said.

Herath said the NPP has no need to protect or absolve any particular Minister or chosen person in relation to this issue, contrary to the allegations being made. “This is why we continue to speak out about the visa issue,” he said. “Both I and NPP members Nalinda Jayatissa and Wasantha Samarasinghe have consistently opposed and criticised it on numerous occasions,” he noted.