Former Minister and the leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Rishad Bathiudeen stressed that he did not resign from his post in fear of the no-confidence motion against him but to prevent communal clashes between the Sinhala and Muslim communities.
Parliamentarian Bathiudeen said he resigned from the Minister post to prevent certain groups from inciting another Black July between the innocent Sinhala and Muslim people.
Speaking to BBC Sinhala Service in a live discussion through Facebook for the first time after resigning, former Minister said the allegations against him was a political contract of an extremist clique, and emphasized that none of the allegations are proven yet.
The former minister said certain NGOs are behind the allegations made against him on the Wilpattu issue.
The former Minister emphasizing that Muslim political leaders and religious leaders are against the ISIS terrorism, said he would give his maximum support to the government, and to the security forces to completely eliminate the ISIS terrorism from Sri Lanka.
“Our Muslim leaders have given information to the intelligence unit, but they could not stop this attack,” MP Rishad Bathiudeen told the BBC Sinhala service.
When asked about the allegations that he had amassed a great wealth, MP Bathiudeen said that every year his income was presented to parliament.
The former minister pointing out that he had worked very hard to bring investments into the country adding he travelled to many Muslim and other countries, doing his best to encourage investment and improve tourism to Sri Lanka, stressed that he has never, aided any efforts to destroy the country, support terrorism or destabilize the nation.
