The Government is to build a replica of the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place of Islam, at a cost of Rs.87 million in Kattankudy. This is one of the four places of religious worship to be built under the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to mark the defeat of 30 years of terrorism. The other three places of religious worship will be a Temple, a Kovil and a Church. This was disclosed by the Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva in the Parliament Thursday (7). The Minister said that there has been no government such as this that has worked to promote racial and religious harmony. He stated that the President with a special faith has freed the Muslim community from the vicious clutches of the LTTE terrorists.

Speaking further about the government’s service to the Muslims, the Minister said that the displaced people in Muttur were resettled within days of Mavil Aru operation. The UNP government totally ignored when LTTE forcibly expelled nearly 100,000 Muslims from the North and they were not even provided proper shelters.

The Minister said that this government has made historic allocations to develop Islamic religious places. Steps were taken to appoint Mavulavis to teach Islam and Arabic in Muslim schools.

He said that the government would renovate the Islamic religious places that were destroyed by the LTTE in Kaththankudi area. The Minister also stated that Sri Lanka is the only non-Islamic country that proclaims ‘Azan’ for five times a day in a government radio channel under the special instruction of the President.

Source: www.news.lk