The former President Chandrika Cumaranatunge told Lanka the Sunday Lankadeepa newspaper that the rumour that went round in the past few days that Vimukthi Cumaranatunge is coming into politics, joining in a discussion with the newspaper. She says that when her son compared with other sons of the present day, he is world’s apart.
She who mentions that she was faced with financial problems after she left her position as President, further says that she sold 5 pieces of land during the past 7 years and turned all that into money. “I don’t have one piece of land in Colombo now,” she says.
A part of the discussion which disclosed the above ideas with the newspaper is as follows.
There is a rumour that a section of the public is trying to propose you as President. Is it true?
If I come of course I can win over the present person. People are chasing behind 
me, asking me to come. But I haven’t taken a decision like that. I haven’t so far thought of taking over a responsibility. I am not a person who puts brothers, sisters and sons and do politics. Even at that time we didn’t do things like that.
Some say that you are involved in activities these days with the idea of coaxing your son to get into politics.
I won’t bring children into politics. The principle I live my children and the principle on which they live is world’s apart. I gave only one vehicle for use to both of them. I could have given two.But I didn’t. Till one work was finished and the vehicle came back, the other had to wait. The present day children have nine, ten or eleven vehicles. Then how many will all three have? That’s why I said that principles of our children are worlds apart in comparison.
I ruled the country for 11 years. I developed the country. I developed the country by getting everybody to participate together.What we did with great dedication has now been destroyed. If the country in the position in which it is now is to be saved, 10 Chandrikas of the type who was there in 1994 is needed.
You always say that you sell land and live.
All throughout the past 7 years I lived by selling 5 pieces of land. Now Chandrika doesn’t even have an inch of land in Colombo. I even sold the only house I had in Colombo. I built that house in my mother’s land from a loan I took from Bank of Ceylon. I paid that loan for 20 years. I sold the Rosmead Place house and gave a little to my children and kept a little for myself. I sold the Rosmead Place property for 50 lakhs a perch. There were 50 perches. Calculate the sum and see for yourself will you. I now live with that share of money I invested.