Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen has sent a letter of demand  to the  Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) seeking $ 3.8 Mn (Rs 500 Mn) in compensation over defamatory statements made by them.

The Minister said the BBS had wrongly accused him of destroying the Wilpattu National Park and creating an exclusive Muslim Zone from Wilpattu to Mannar and an  Arab colony in Sri Lanka in the Mannar – Wilpattu area.

“In the aftermath of the end of war thanks to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, we Muslims were looking forward to a new beginning. But we are facing newer problems” Minister Bathiudeen said.

Minister Bathiudeen, who is also the leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress, said the letter of demand was sent to the venerable Galagodawatte Gnanasara Thero, the General Secretary General of the BBS.

“After more than 20 years, the Muslim IDPs have not re-settled yet. Many Mosques and Muslim schools in their places of origin were destroyed. We do not get any support from anyone for resettlement. Meanwhile, I have been wrongly accused. These are clearly defamatory and they are intended to create anti-Muslim feelings. I demand an apology for these false statements from BBS and if no apology is made to me or no retraction is made in the next two weeks, I will ask BBS for $ 3.8 Mn in compensation. If no compensation is made, then I will institute legal proceedings,” the Minister said.

Source: Colombo Gazette (Sri Lanka)