The influence of power and money has spread its tentacles to all sections of society including the Media, Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

Addressing the National Congress launch of the ‘National Consultation on Policy Development’, at the Colombo New Town Hall, Wickremesinghe said that society has degenerated to such an extent that right and wrong is now determined by "power and money."

"The government, after meddling with the media and setting out what can be published or broadcast says "look at the media, there is no censorship whatsoever."

Even state media personnel are knifed and thrown away like mere commodities, Wickremesinghe said "Journalists have been threatened into subjugation by a series of assaults and abductions. Having achieved its objectives, the government has the audacity to speak of media freedom."