By Shamindra Ferdinando

The government had been stabbed in the back by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa, SLPP parliamentary group sources said yesterday (11).

Referring to Minister Weerawansa’s accusations regarding clandestine links between a section of the government and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader Rishad Bathiudeen, allegedly involved with those responsible for 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, sources pointed out that the NFF leader’s move was intended to undermine the SLPP.

Delivering a public lecture at Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Mandiraya, on Tuesday (9), lawmaker Weerawansa alleged a group of decadent ruling party politicians who realised entering into political marriage with what the minister called Islamic extremism in the future had prevented the exposure of the likes of Rishad Bathiudeen.

Weerawansa holds Small and Medium Business and Enterprise Development, Industries and Supply chain Management portfolios. The NFF parliamentary group consists of six members, including one National List MP.

SLPP sources said that Minister Weerawansa’s outburst had caused irreparable damage to the government at a time it was under heavy pressure over the alleged shortcomings in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report and the controversial recommendation that 22 volumes of it shouldn’t be handed over to the Attorney General on the basis of them being sensitive.

Responding to a query, sources said that Minister Weerawansa had attacked the government the day before the commencement of three-day debate on the PCoI report and the issue at hand had been brought to the notice of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Minister Weerawansa alleged that the likes of Rishad Bathiudeen and former Eastern Province Governor M. L.A, M, Hizbullah had been taking overland in the Mannar region and the Eastern Province, respectively in line with strategy promoted by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian Islamic scholar based in Doha, Qatar.

The National Freedom Front Leader alleged that Rishad Bathiudeen during his tenure as the Industries and Commerce Minister of the UPFA (2010-2015) and yahapalana (2015-2019) administrations had deliberately undermined some businesspersons on racial grounds. Minister Weerawansa, who, too, had been a minister in the same Cabinet with Rishad Bathiudeen, explained how the ACMC leader bad exploited his ministerial portfolio for the benefit of a particular community.

Minister Weerawansa questioned the rationale behind the PCoI conveniently not recommending specific measures in respect of President of the Muslim Council M. N. Ameen, who included extremist teachings of Yusuf al-Qaradawi in Muslim teachers’ guide.

Weerawansa alleged that Yusuf al-Qaradawi’s teachings had been severely inimical to the country and promoted violence. Minister Weerawansa also said that the PCoI owed an explanation why specific recommendations weren’t made in respect of Hizbullah in spite of him being identified as a person who propagated extremism in the Kattankudy area.

The NFF leader also questioned the circumstances under which Rishad Bathiudeen’s brother, Riyaj arrested in connection with his alleged involvement with the Easter Sunday carnage under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in April 2020 had been released. Minister Weerawansa said the police, after accusing Riyaj of being in touch with one of the Easter Sunday bombers, had quietly released him.

Commenting on one-time Western Province Governor Azath Salley’s conduct, Minister Weerawansa asked why the PCoI refrained from recommending action against the NUA (National Unity Alliance) leader Salley. Alleging that the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in spite of being responsible for disrupting intelligence services thereby creating an environment conducive for Thowheed terrorists was conveniently let off the hook, Minister Weerawansa questioned the conduct of the P CoI on many points.

Minister Weerawansa tore into the PCoI questioning the motives of its members who cleared Wickremesinghe although he was responsible for the breakdown of the national security apparatus. He said there was no point in going after the then Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, IGP Pujith Jayasundera, Chief of National Intelligence retired DIG Sisira Mendis and Chief of State Intelligence Services (SIS) DIG Nilantha Jayawardana when the very person who created a situation conducive for Thowheed terrorists escaped the attention of the PCoI.

Lambasting the PCoI for omissions, Minister Weerawansa asked whether Easter Sunday bomber Zahran Hashim’s ghosts had been active in the PCoI, and how the PCoI had recommended specific action against Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara over alleged extremist activity and left out those who connived, aided and abetted Easter Sunday conspirators.

The then President Maithripala Sirisena appointed the PCoI whereas his successor Gotabaya Rajapaksa extended its term.