LAKMAL SOORIYAGODA 
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Anura Kumara demands Rs.2 Bn as damages from Hakeem
Colombo, August 23 (Daily Mirror)- National People's Power Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake has sent a letter of demand claiming Rs. 2 billion as damages from Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Parliamentarian Rauff Hakeem for allegedly making a defamatory statement in Kattankudi on August 19, 2024.
This letter of demand has been sent through Attorney-at-Law Manjula Balasooriya alleging that Rauff Hakeem had made a defamatory, fabricated and malicious statement in Tamil at a meeting held at the Marine Mahal Banquet Hall, Kattankudi against Anura Kumara Dissanayake by deliberately misconstruing a statement he had made on May 7, 2019 in a parliament speech. It is stated that the said statement made by Hakeem was published in UTV HD Youtube channel on 20 August 2024.
Balasooriya stated that he was instructed to state that the English translation of the aforesaid statement is as follows;
"Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that terrorism is growing in the womb of every Muslim mother. He said in Parliament that terrorism is being born in the womb of every Muslim mother."
Balasooriya further stated that the statement made by Hakeem about his client had been broadcast or published on various other leading television channels in Sri Lanka and the said video of Hakeem’s speech is being shared via other worldwide social platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp etc. which are being disseminated among local and foreign viewers.
“I am instructed to state that the aforesaid defamatory statement of yours are palpably and demonstrably false, misconstrued, fabricated, injurious, harmful, acrimonious, malicious, careless, negligent and defamatory of my client per se (in itself) and by innuendo (implication).
I am further instructed that the aforesaid defamatory statement has been made by you and/or published and/or disseminated and/or caused to be published and disseminated by you is mala fide, knowingly and/or willingly and/or intentionally and/or with animus injuriandi and malicious with express malice to injure and cause loss and/or damage to my client's reputation,” Attorney-at-Law Manjula Balasooriya stated.
He further stated that the alleged defamatory statement made by Parliamentarian Rauff Hakeem has caused grave and irreparable loss and damage to the good reputation of his client as a political leader as well as a candidate for the Presidential election 2024.
In his letter of demand, Anura Kumara Dissanayake is urging Hakeem to pay a sum of Rs. 2 billion as loss and damages within 14 days. It has warned that legal action will be instituted if the money is not paid within two weeks.
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