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'I am mesmerised by your beauty': What minister told former Miss Sri Lanka when she asked him a question in parliament
A Sri Lankan minister has been accused of sexism after he told a former beauty queen MP he was so mesmerised by her looks he could not answer her questions in parliament.
Rosy Senanayake, a former Miss Sri Lanka and Mrs World who has also served as her country's High Commissioner in Malaysia, had asked minister Kumara Welgama about the state of the country's Transport Board.
But instead of answering her question, he told her he was 'choked' by her beauty and would describe his feelings for her outside the chamber.
Mesmerising: Sri Lankan politician Rosy Senanayake, pictured left as she is now and right when she was Miss Sri Lanka and Miss World, was told by minister Kumara Welgama she is 'too mesmerising' to respond to after she asked about the state of the country's Transport Board.
'I am so happy to answer a question by a beauty queen like Rosy Senanayake. You are such a charming woman. I have no words to describe my feelings.
'I cannot explain my feelings here. But if you meet me outside Parliament, I will describe them.
'When I see her, my thoughts are running riots which I don't want to reveal to the public,' he said.
The MP went on: 'Today is the happiest day during my 19 years in Parliament.
'I am very happy a pretty lady like her is asking me questions. Thank you for asking me these questions.
'I can’t utter a word due to this shock! For me everything gets tangled when I see you. I am only looking at your face, but not at even the Deputy Speaker.
'My feelings cannot be explained when I see her. If you come out, I will tell. Lady, do you have any issues if I look at you?'.
Mrs Senanayake, 54, has been involved in politics for more than 20 years and served as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.
She said the minister had intended to compliment her but had in fact insulted her by focusing on her looks instead of answering her question.
She said: 'I consider it as an insult. The minister should not have referred to my looks and womanhood in that manner.
'I'm still being recognised as a beauty queen, but I've been a high commissioner and in politics for such a long time.
'As a woman you are not recognised as a person who has done so many portfolios, always referred to as the beauty you were in your heyday. I don't regret being a beauty queen.'
She added: 'It was just a phase as a young girl and it gave me a platform to campaign for things I believe in, like gender issues.'
Mrs Senanayake was the winner in the first Mrs World competition in 1985. She is also a former Miss Asia Pacific International 1981 and competed as Miss Sri Lanka in Miss World 1980.
As a major opposition activist, she is the chief organiser for the Colombo West electorate of the United National Party. She was elected to the Western Provincial Council in 2009.
Rosy Senanayake was the winner in the first Mrs World competition in 1985. She is also a former Miss Asia Pacific International 1981 and competed as Miss Sri Lanka in Miss World 1980.
A major opposition activist, she also promotes the rights of women and adolescents in her country.
A married mother of three, she is also the Chief Organiser for the Colombo West Electorate of the United National Party. She was elected to the Western Provincial Council in 2009 with the highest votes for United National Party in Colombo District, where she served as its leader of the opposition until she was elected to the Parliament in General Election 2010.
Kumara Welgama, MP for the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance and a transport minister, apparently said: 'I never insult women. It is a fact known to everybody.'
Minister in Sri Lanka told former beauty queen he couldn't answer her questions in parliament because he was 'mesmerised by her beauty' | Mail Online
Tharkiii
A Sri Lankan minister has been accused of sexism after he told a former beauty queen MP he was so mesmerised by her looks he could not answer her questions in parliament.
Rosy Senanayake, a former Miss Sri Lanka and Mrs World who has also served as her country's High Commissioner in Malaysia, had asked minister Kumara Welgama about the state of the country's Transport Board.
But instead of answering her question, he told her he was 'choked' by her beauty and would describe his feelings for her outside the chamber.
Mesmerising: Sri Lankan politician Rosy Senanayake, pictured left as she is now and right when she was Miss Sri Lanka and Miss World, was told by minister Kumara Welgama she is 'too mesmerising' to respond to after she asked about the state of the country's Transport Board.
'I am so happy to answer a question by a beauty queen like Rosy Senanayake. You are such a charming woman. I have no words to describe my feelings.
'I cannot explain my feelings here. But if you meet me outside Parliament, I will describe them.
'When I see her, my thoughts are running riots which I don't want to reveal to the public,' he said.
The MP went on: 'Today is the happiest day during my 19 years in Parliament.
'I am very happy a pretty lady like her is asking me questions. Thank you for asking me these questions.
'I can’t utter a word due to this shock! For me everything gets tangled when I see you. I am only looking at your face, but not at even the Deputy Speaker.
'My feelings cannot be explained when I see her. If you come out, I will tell. Lady, do you have any issues if I look at you?'.
Mrs Senanayake, 54, has been involved in politics for more than 20 years and served as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.
She said the minister had intended to compliment her but had in fact insulted her by focusing on her looks instead of answering her question.
She said: 'I consider it as an insult. The minister should not have referred to my looks and womanhood in that manner.
'I'm still being recognised as a beauty queen, but I've been a high commissioner and in politics for such a long time.
'As a woman you are not recognised as a person who has done so many portfolios, always referred to as the beauty you were in your heyday. I don't regret being a beauty queen.'
She added: 'It was just a phase as a young girl and it gave me a platform to campaign for things I believe in, like gender issues.'
Mrs Senanayake was the winner in the first Mrs World competition in 1985. She is also a former Miss Asia Pacific International 1981 and competed as Miss Sri Lanka in Miss World 1980.
As a major opposition activist, she is the chief organiser for the Colombo West electorate of the United National Party. She was elected to the Western Provincial Council in 2009.
Rosy Senanayake was the winner in the first Mrs World competition in 1985. She is also a former Miss Asia Pacific International 1981 and competed as Miss Sri Lanka in Miss World 1980.
A major opposition activist, she also promotes the rights of women and adolescents in her country.
A married mother of three, she is also the Chief Organiser for the Colombo West Electorate of the United National Party. She was elected to the Western Provincial Council in 2009 with the highest votes for United National Party in Colombo District, where she served as its leader of the opposition until she was elected to the Parliament in General Election 2010.
Kumara Welgama, MP for the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance and a transport minister, apparently said: 'I never insult women. It is a fact known to everybody.'
Minister in Sri Lanka told former beauty queen he couldn't answer her questions in parliament because he was 'mesmerised by her beauty' | Mail Online
Tharkiii
but she is aunty now.
