Sri Lanka’s Minister of Industry & Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen strongly condemning false accusations against him said false accusations for cheap political mileage hurled at a time of crisis only deepens Sri Lanka’s predicament.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday on the 21 April terrorist attack and its aftermath, Minister Bathiudeen explained that any Industry and Commerce Minister meets business and trade representatives for trade issues and business development
“As the Trade Minister I too meet business and trade representatives on a regular basis. I met Ibrahim Hajiar (YM Ibrahim, the Chairman of Colombo Traders’ Association-CTA) in 2017 June along with his CTA representatives at my Ministry office to solve the supply issues that they officially submitted to me. However, referring to the photo of this official meeting a Parliament MP publicly accuses me of having personal links with terrorists.”
“I strongly condemn such false accusations. Sadly the very people like me who have always been opposed to terrorism are now being accused of having links with terrorists,” said Minister Bathiudeen. He added that Ibrahim Hajiar came to meet him officially with his association representatives.
“Referring to the photo of this meeting, they accuse me of having links with a terrorist. There cannot be worse and cheaper political campaigns than this!”
Minister Bathiudeen further said the international terrorism that affected developed countries such as the US has now arrived in Sri Lanka.
“This is not a time for such talk. The Muslim community in Sri Lanka already condemned this act.”
