People support UPFA's political culture - Azath Salley

by P. Krishnaswamy

People have rejected the communal politics of the Opposition UNF and have clearly demonstrated their desire to support the nationalistic and anti-communal policies of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the UPFA Government led by him, former UNP stalwart and Deputy Mayor of Colombo Azath Salley told the Sunday Observer.

Salley who is contesting the forthcoming election on the UPFA ticket in Colombo said that people will express their right decision on April 8 to ensure a near-two-third majority for the United People's Freedom Alliance.

In the Colombo district, the UPFA will capture 12-13 seats of the 19 seats, he said.

It is evident from the diminishing number of Parliamentary seats of the UNP, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the TNA and other communal-based political parties that the people have rejected them and are supporting the new political culture of the UPFA. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) which held 11 Parliamentary seats and holds only three seats and it is the same with the other communal political parties including the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Salley said.

Ranil Wickremesinghe said at the launch of a book at the BMICH that Islam was spread by the 'sword' which hurt the sentiments of Muslims. Sarath Fonseka openly said that the Tamils and Muslims cannot demand any rights; they are visitors in the country and will have to go.

Former Chief Justice Sarath N. de Silva who is now an ardent supporter of the UNF gave orders preventing Muslims from reciting 'Azan' at dawn which also affected Buddhists and Hindus.

He also gave an order banning students of the 'ILMA International School' at Thalakotuwa Garden from being driven to the schools in vehicles of their parents and are being picked up after school which made them walk a long distance with their heavy bags of school books. Nowhere in the world has such cruelty been meted out to school children in the name of justice, Sally said.

Wijedasa Rajapaksa who is contesting on the UNF ticket in Colombo is a President's Counsel and has been in the legal profession for long. He brought a private member's motion in Parliament calling for the banning of cattle slaughter by Muslims. He should have known that it would to tantamount to violation of human rights of a community, Salley said.