Hakeem defends PM over burial issue

By Saman Indrajith

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem yesterday called on the government to respect Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s decision to allow those who died of COVID-19 to be buried.

Hakeem said so after State Minister Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle told Parliament that the decision to allow the burial of corpses of COVID-19 victims could not be made personally but by committees of experts.

She said so in response to a question by SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahman. MP Rahman said that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had told Parliament that burial of those who died of COVID-19 would be permitted and asked when the gazette permitting those burials would be published.

Minister Dr Fernandopulle said that the decisions of the Ministry of Health were not taken individually by persons but by expert committees. She said the Prime Minister’s statement to permit burials in future would be submitted to the technical experts committee which would make the final decision in that regard.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem: “Prime Minister made a categorical statement to permit burials. It is a mature decision by a very mature politician. He understands the predicament of not only the government but also the minorities and reconciliation in this country. Now, it is said that the decision making is going back to the expert committee which is full of pseudo scientists who cannot solve this problem. Justice Minister Ali Sabry knows Muslims of both sides are agitating for this. Finally, the Prime Minister gave a solemn undertaking on this matter in this House. What is more to it than that? He clearly said burials would be permitted. Who is better than the Prime Minister to make a decision on behalf of the government? Who are the members of this so-called Experts Committee in the Health Ministry blocking this and unnecessarily creating racial tension in this country? We are dragging this country to a total abyss by this conduct. I implore and beg that the government must not drag their feet on this issue that has gone to Geneva as well. We do not want that to happen. None of us want that to happen to this country. Therefore please take a matured and considered decision and don’t insult the Prime Minister for god’s sake.”