Government minister warns of rift between Muslims and Buddhists

Thursday, 24 October 2013 

Minister of the Mahinda 

Rajapaksa government, Rishard Bathiudeen has warned of attempts to create a rift between Muslims and Buddhists in the country.

The Minister has said that a handful of people claiming to be doing a service to Buddhists who are the ones attempting to target Muslims.

“Muslims have never supported attempts to divide this country or do anything against the country,” Bathiudeen has said.

The Minister has also recalled that Muslim leaders had even gone to Geneva and obtained the support of Muslim countries for Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council.

Bathiudeen’s comments come as the Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) declared a year of protests against the halal certification.

‘Casinos are good, I too, played’ – S.B.

 Thursday, 24 October 2013 

People may say various things about the casino game, but it is a good game. Early this year, I too, played casinos in the casino city in the US, higher education minister S.B. Dissanayake has told ‘Divaina.’

He has said further,

“Our people are worried very much about casinos. They are presenting various views. In the US, I placed two dollars a bet at the casino. But, the girls working in the casino told me to place bets at 140 dollars. I did not fall for that.”

“It is good that Sri Lanka too, is having casinos. Foreigners will come to our country and spend millions of rupees. Isn‘t that very good? Let our Sri Lankans too, play casinos.”

“We should also listen to the views, proposals and criticisms by those who oppose casinos. There is no harm if casinos are banned only for Sri Lankan people.”

Higher education minister S.B. Dissanayake, who says casinos are good, on numerous occasions branded as a traitorous act the struggle by the Federation of University Teachers Association to demand a six per cent allocation of the GDP for education.