Wijeyadasa’s comments a sacrilegious outburst: ACMC

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) in a statement has vehemently and bitterly protested and opposed the malicious comments made by Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe against freshly appointed National List MP Prof. Dr.Ismail, about which we are dismayed and astonished.

Following is the full statement.

The tarnishing comments made by W.Rajapakshe last Friday on 8 June at the inaugural oath-taking ceremony by the newly appointed UNP Member of Parliament on behalf of ACMC is highlydeplorable.

Ignoring the fact that it is customary to welcome the newly-appointedMP with greetings during his oath-taking ceremony,contrary to this noble practice,W.Rajapaksheburst out at andcriticised the former Vice Chancellor M.S. M Ismail, which was highly unparliamentarilyand uncivilised behaviour, tantamount to a character assassination of VC Ismail.

By heaping and harping allegations in a mud-slinging way against the National List MP Dr. Ismail, W. Rajapakshe has tarnished the impeccable sanctity of the August assembly of the Sri LankanParliament. It is a basic legal maxim that ‘a person is presumed innocent until he is proved guilty’. Notwithstanding this fact, and being a legal luminary, W. Rajapakshe should have taken precautions to avoid those yet unproved allegations.

W.Rajapakshe may recall that he was also onceconfronted with charges in the court of law.

In this context, no one can construe that W.Rajapakshe was guilty, unless and until he was proved to be guilty. Therefore, the verbal attack on Dr. Ismailby W. Rajapakshe was detestable and uncalled for.

With regard to Rajapakshe›s reference to the corruption, bribery and sexual favours at the South Eastern University, we may mention here that this type of favouritism is not uniquely limited and confined only to the South Eastern University alone. Before the establishment of the South Eastern University, there were several universities where we often heard of unpleasant things happening.

His herculean effort to demonstrate the prevalence of sexual bribery or favour at the South Eastern Universityseems to be deployed with an ulterior motive of demeaning the University.Periodically, the newspapers and other media flash news of sexual advances, harassments and mischiefat different Universities of the country. His serious and sour statements, that Degrees are offered through sexual bribe to the femaleundergraduates, are painful to hear. At this juncture, one wonders -through which kind of a bribe do male undergraduates obtain their degrees?

Since the South Eastern Universityis situated in a predominantly Muslim-dominated area, and preponderated with Muslim students - mainly female - it is a preposterous statement directed at creating a black mark and an indelible stain on the character, virtue and chastity of the Muslim female undergraduates. We consider this as an unbearable insult on the community, and a character assassination of the Muslim female student society. We register our strongest and sharpest protest on behalf of the Muslim community.

We are apprehensive, and afraid, that this type of statementis the outcome of hate radiating against the Muslim community. At this juncture, it is appropriate to ask from W. Rajapakshe, who once held the Ministry of Justice and Buddha Sasana Affairs, as to why he is ignorant andhas so far failed to notice the irreligious, anti-social, nastic activities, such as intoxicationby liquor, amblings, abuse and molestation of children, homosexuality, rape and treasure hunting undertaken by some of the so-called religious dignitaries. If he can focus on these nefarious activities and take creative and stern action to eradicate these menaces, it would be a greater and worthier service to Mother Lanka.

It is prudent to note here that, it is the same W. Rajapakshe who previously declared that he was ashamed to be a Cabinet Minister under the present Prime Minister, now comfortably turned to be a prominent Minister holding a powerful portfolio of the same Government.