Rishad fires another salvo at IGP over Grandpass attack

Friday, 16 August 2013 03:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday criticised the police for alleged inaction during the Grandpass mosque attack last week and sent CCTV footage to the IGP that he said contained evidence of this claim. In a letter to IGP N.K. Illangakoon that was released to the media yesterday, Minister Bathiudeen said several residents in the area were eyewitnesses to the police inaction during the mosque attack on 10 August. “Muslims view the inaction on the part of the police as cooperation in the attacks on the mosque,” the Minister charged in his letter with which he said he was enclosing a DVD of the footage.

Tongue in cheek, the statement said: “I wish to thank you for assuring a prompt and impartial investigation of police inaction at the Grandpass if evidentiary material is placed at your disposal.” Minister Bathiudeen said that an elected representative in the Government, he found the allegations disturbing and a matter of serious concern. “I also find the evidence against the police overwhelming and warranting a high level investigation/inquiry,” the letter said. “There are also a number of eye witnesses who had seen armed hoodlums attack the mosque, enter the sacred precincts of the place of worship, attack the worshippers and thereafter getting away under the watchful eye of a number of police personnel on duty around the mosque,” the Minister said. He added that this was not the first time that Muslims and non-Muslims have made allegations that the Sri Lanka Police has failed to perform its duties impartially when it comes to disadvantaged groups. “Failing to address this issue and continuing this trend of attacks will not only be an encouragement to those who wish to create conflict within Sri Lanka but will be a permanent blemish to the country and its people. It would also be an indelible blot in the history of the Sri Lanka Police. These are consequences that I as a member of the Cabinet of Ministers would like to avoid,” Minister Bathiudeen said. The Minister told the IGP that he was confident that the senior police official will honour your assurance and commitment and immediately launch an investigation/inquiry into the failure of the Sri Lanka Police and its officers present at the scene to prevent the attack on the Mosque and residences in Grandpass, Colombo 14 on 10 August 2013, and to take appropriate action to apprehend the offenders who led the attack on the mosque. Reports said that the Minister and the IGP had strongly disagreed during a meeting at the Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs Ministry last Sunday to defuse the Grandpass crisis.