Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade Johnston Fernando has said that he has no regrets whatsoever about the manner in which he addressed UNP Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake during a political talk show on Hiru TV last week.

The minister was criticized for using abusive language in his speech as he lost temper in the face of allegations leveled against the government by the UNP Parliamentarian.

“It is the ‘most appropriate’ way to reply to some ‘inhuman’ politicians of the opposition .Johnston Fernando is not a person who will stand idle when a ‘nitwit’ calls the great leader who saved this country from dire straits, a dictator”, Fernando said.

During the program Ranjan Ramanayake alleged that Johnston Fernando was hostile towards him from the start of the program and that Fernando was pre-meditated to start a dispute with him under instructions of a third party.

“I had no reason to create a dispute with Ramanayake and no one instructed me to do so”, Fernando said.

 “He had no right to insult the President or the first family, he should first look at himself before insulting. It is truly pathetic to see the opposition grasping at straws when they cannot find proper facts to counter the government,” he added.

Following the incident, the presenter of the talk show urged the Minister to refrain from using obscene language as the programme was aired as live telecast on Hiru TV. The Minister did not even apologize to viewers after the matter was brought to his notice by the presenter.

The programme was also attended by Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena and JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath.