Political leaders pay respect to Thondaman

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, and Former Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa were among those who paid their last respects to late Minister Arumugam Thondaman at Parliament yesterday. Many Cabinet Ministers, former Parliamentarians, diplomats, Government officials, and Parliament staff members led by Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake also paid their last respects as the remains of the long standing Parliamentarian lay in state at the Parliament Assembly Hall. Thondaman was first elected to the Parliament in 1994 from the Nuwara Eliya district, and represented the district in Parliament for 26 consecutive years. During his political career, he held many Cabinet ministerial portfolios such as Estate Infrastructure and Livestock Development, Housing and Plantation Infrastructure, Youth Empowerment and Socio-Economic Development, and Livestock and Rural Community Development.

The funeral will take place on Sunday 31 May at Nuwara Eliya.