SLMC has no support in East - ACMC
M. P. Muttiah
Muslims in the North and East voted overwhelmingly for President
Mahinda Rajapaksa, said All Ceylon Muslim Congress leader and
Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen at
a press conference held in Colombo yesterday. The Minister said that the
SLMC leader was spreading false propaganda saying that he would support
the future Government of the President.
This was a conspiracy to cheat the voters as he had failed to muster
Muslim votes in both provinces. According to the Minister the President
is not willing to take Rauf Hakeem as he has always been a conspirator.
In one instance Rauf Hakeem voted for the first and second reading of
the budget, but opposed the third and joined the Opposition, the ACMC
leader added. Minister Bathiudeen said that Muslims in the North and
East always extended full support to the SLMC when M.H.M. Ashraff was
the leader. However, under Rauf Hakeem the vote bank of the SLMC has
declined. He said Muslims were grateful to the President as he ended the
war and ensured the free movement of the people. In the past Muslims
were not able to go to the mosque for prayers and to their paddy fields.
This situation was changed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
He appealed to the SLMC supporters to support the ACMC.
Disaster Relief Services Minister M.S.S. Ameer Ali, Deputy Minister
S. Nijamudeen and several others also spoke.
|