The Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Ministry has decided to initiate an urgent investigation regarding the singing of the National Anthem by popular female singer who sang in a distorted manner, at the 2023 LPL opening ceremony on Sunday evening.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government K. D. N. Ranjith Ashoka said that deliberately changing the National Anthem is an illegal act.
He said this incident cannot be approved of and it is a sad situation to sing the National Anthem in a different way in a programme that attracts international attention.
Meanwhile, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickramanayaka said that action will be taken on this incident of the National Anthem allegedly being distorted and sung during the opening ceremony of the 2023 Lanka Premier League (LPL). He said this referring to the video circulating on social media in which a popular singer was mispronouncing certain key phrases of the National Anthem at the 2023 LPL opening ceremony.
“No one can distort the National Anthem of a country as it represents the identity and culture of the country. Therefore, such events that distort the National Anthem cannot be approved of. The National Anthem cannot be remixed or performed as rap music. Therefore, the Ministry is considering taking action against the incident. In addition, we are working to inform the relevant parties in this regard. There is a standard way of singing the National Anthem. With this trend, I will not be surprised even if the National Anthem is sung naked in the future,” the Minister added.
Popular singer Umara Sinhawansa was mispronouncing a key lyric whilst performing the National Anthem at the 2023 LPL opening ceremony.
The video is currently circulating on social media and she is repeatedly mispronouncing certain key phrases of the National Anthem. She has been accused of mispronouncing the National Anthem in this tournament in which local and foreign cricket stars were participating.
Source – Daily News
