By Ruwani Panamaldeniya

I together with my husband , my son and daughter purchased 4 tickets from the MTV Braybrooke Place, Colombo-02 for Rs.750/- each. The show was scheduled at 6.45 pm on 13.2.2010 at the Empire Ball Room of Mt.Lavinia Hotel.

The people were told to sit anywhere and we went and sat on the centre 5th row. We observed that all seats at the rear had a label ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ReservedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. We sat at 6.15 p.m. and at 7 p.m. we were asked to get up and sit somewhere else. They made repeated announcements that Reserved seats are for invitees and those who purchased tickets had free seating. But no where in the hall were unreserved seats. It was an absolute violation of consumer rights. From the start to finish it was a planned affair. The sms system was a farce.

Thanks to some politician who was there with his family who too suffered the same humiliation of being asked to get up and go, he retaliated and said he cannot move from the seat and all seats were reserved and the tickets had serial numbers on it. Some of the well built ushers of MTV were rude when the politicians Police bodyguards (who had also purchased tickets)intervened and said they would call in the area police. The matter was reported to Shanthi Barathan who turned a blind eye even without an apology. The politician then invited the others who had purchased the tickets to occupy the seats in front and behind the rows.

The show as a whole had a set of bimbos scantily dressed in tight shorts akin to panties raising their legs and the entire show was a flop.

Consumers rights should be protected. Over to you, Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority.