Namal Rajapaksa, a 25-year-old MP seen by many as the presidential heir apparent, was speaking in the parliament of a country which has four Rajapaksas in top state positions and increasing numbers of public projects named after his father.

Family networks

Namal Rajapaksa told the chamber he agreed with an opposition MP that state broadcasting networks were in danger of becoming Rajapaksa “family networks”.

Recently he had been watching a bulletin with his family, he said, and the top report concerned the president, Mahinda Rajapaksa. The next, in sequence, were about his Uncle Chamal, the Speaker; his Uncle Basil, a minister; and his Uncle Gotabhaya, the defence secretary.

The sports news was about himself and his brother’s rugby-playing. He said the people would be more likely to believe the state media if their coverage was more balanced and included the opposition too.

Rare criticism

This is rare criticism of its kind from within the government. Currently state broadcasters give almost no coverage to the opposition except to highlight their troubles. And public life is quite Rajapaksa-centred, with family members often the chief guests at key events.

There’s also a cult around the President, who’s still very popular after the 2009 war victory. In some public places there are large cardboard cut-outs of him and Sinhalese-language posters comparing him to the sun and the moon.

Two sports stadiums, a vast new port and a film village are all named after him. On Thursday a major new arts centre in the capital will also get his name – while the street leading to it will be renamed “Lotus Pond Mahinda Rajapaksa Avenue”.

A letter-writer to a daily newspaper said he believed Mr Rajapaksa didn’t really want all this. But that is a matter for speculation.