President Maithripala Sirisena's son, Daham Sirisena, explained his visit to the UN as part of the Sri Lanka delegation led by his father, saying that he was officially invited in place of his mother who could not attend.

Posting a statement on his Facebook Page, Daham Sirisena said that his visit could not be taken as an act of nepotism.

"The real meaning behind it [nepotism] is the abuse of power with influence favoring one's children, relatives and friends especially by giving them occupations. Open your minds to this definition and take a moment to think whether this is being practiced in Sri Lanka now," the President's son said.

Since he visited in place of his mother, it was not a case of nepotism, Sirisena argued.

Furthermore, he said that his presence did not have a negative effect on the country. He pointed out that he was able to attend a youth-led SDG event. "At the event The officials stated that, next time to bring in more youths with more innovative ideas which could in turn enrich our country by seeing my presence," he said.