The Hindu Editorial Analysis
22 September 2025
The message beyond ‘ending’ Sri Lanka’s elite impunity
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic : GS Paper II – Polity & Governance | GS Paper IV – Ethics | GS 2- International Relations
Context
In August 2025, former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested for allegedly misusing public funds worth 16.2 million LKR (~$50,000) during a private trip to the UK. His arrest marks a symbolic moment in Sri Lanka’s battle against entrenched political impunity. While the charges appear small in financial scale, the political message is significant, especially after decades of corruption and elite unaccountability.
Key Issues and Arguments
1. The Symbolism of the Arrest
- Wickremesinghe’s arrest is less about financial impropriety and more about a shift in accountability politics.
- Public perception in Sri Lanka has long been that political elites enjoy immunity despite lavish misuse of resources.
- His detention, albeit brief, represents a rupture with elite impunity and signals responsiveness to popular anger seen during the 2022 Aragalaya protests.
2. Public Anger and Historical Context
- The mass protests of 2022 ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, highlighting frustration at corruption and poor governance.
- Wickremesinghe, who became PM in 2015 on an anti-corruption plank, later symbolized continuity of elite privilege.
- For ordinary Sri Lankans, the misuse of even 16 million rupees is stark when compared with daily economic hardships, as it takes the average household 18 years to earn that sum.
3. Political Implications
- The National People’s Power (NPP) government, riding on a strong anti-elite plank, has showcased political will by acting against Wickremesinghe.
- Yet, the act is also a political gamble—the NPP must now apply the same yardstick to other elites, including Rajapaksas, ministers, and MPs, many of whom face graver allegations of corruption.
- If selective, this move risks being seen as political revenge rather than systemic reform.
4. A Larger Pattern of Elite Immunity
- Sri Lanka has witnessed frequent cycles of scandals, arrests, and impunity among its political elite.
- From medicine scams involving health ministers to the misuse of foreign aid and currency flights in 2022, accountability has been inconsistent.
- The arrest of Wickremesinghe, though important, risks being seen as tokenistic unless embedded in institutional reform.
Way Forward
- Institutional Reform:
- Strengthen independent investigative bodies and judicial mechanisms to pursue cases impartially.
- Ensure consistent application of anti-corruption laws, not selective targeting.
- Political Culture Change:
- Embed probity in public life as a non-negotiable value.
- Draw lessons from the 2022 protests which reflected citizens’ demand for clean governance.
- Apply a Common Yardstick:
- Extend scrutiny to all elites across party lines.
- Ensure that accountability is not weaponized for political gain.
Conclusion
Wickremesinghe’s arrest is less about Rs.16 million and more about the symbolism of elite accountability in Sri Lanka’s troubled democracy. It signals that the public demand for justice can no longer be ignored. However, its true test lies in whether this moment becomes a turning point toward systemic reform or remains a symbolic gesture. For India and the region, it also highlights the fragility of democratic institutions when probity in governance is sacrificed at the altar of political convenience.