President-Hakeem clash, a hoax!

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

The so-called clash between the president and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem is in fact a publicity stunt invented through the media that is being carried out in mutual understanding between the two, a senior government minister told ‘Lanka News Web.’

Every time a provincial council election is at hand - like in the cases of polls for Eastern, Uva, Northwestern and Central PCs – such publicity stunts had taken place, noted the minister, adding the main objective of this particular campaign is to keep the votes of the Muslims who are disheartened with the government with the SLMC, without letting them vote for the UNP. To achieve that objective, the President’s Media Unit has invented this clash and is using the media to promote it, he said.

Anyhow, Hakeem has promised to the president to add up the seats that will be gained by the SLMC to the UPFA once the results of the March 29 election are announced.

The senior minister said further that some members of the SLMC high command and several government officials are involved in this campaign.

This campaign tries to overshadow the popular UNP candidate from Colombo district Mujibur Rahman. Well knowing that it cannot win the Colombo urban area, the government is using such gimmicks to prevent the UNP from attracting Muslim votes, and to minimize Muslim votes for the main opposition party. When Hirunika Premachandra, Colombo Central co-organizer, had gone to her electorate for her campaign work, Muslim voters had driven her away, saying “Do your campaign in Kolonnawa.” She has complained to the president about this. The so-called clash between the president and minister Hakeem has been invented two weeks ago in such a background.