President not scheduled to be at IIFA: President’s office

The President’s office, dismissing media reports today announced that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not scheduled to be present at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards’ night at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium held Saturday night.

Sections of the media had reported yesterday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had kept away from the IIFA Awards night along with almost all of Sri Lanka’s cinema personalities.

The President’s office in a release referring to media reports said that the ‘news is without any basis of truth as the President was not scheduled to be present at this event’.

There is also an attempt to seek credibility for this incorrect news item by stating that: “No formal reason was given for the President’s non-appearance despite his security detail being present at the venue last night”.