Reinstatement of three Muslim ministers Matter to be discussed with Prez after today’s Cabinet meeting

By Sandun A. Jayasekera 

A senior Cabinet Minister said it was decided at the pre-Cabinet meeting held last afternoon at Temple Trees and chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, to discuss with President Maithripala Sirisena after today’s Cabinet meeting, the reinstatement of three Muslim ministers. 

• They will be reinstated this week if President agrees 

The Cabinet scheduled to meet after two weeks today at 9.30 a.m. will be chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena. 

Ministers Rauff Hakeem, Kabir Hashim, Rishad Bathiudeen and Abdul Haleem resigned from their portfolios on June 3 in solidarity with Minister Bathiudeen.  The resignations came in the wake of a protest campaign and ‘fast unto death’ launched by MP Athureliya Rathana Thera who demanded the resignation of Minister Bathiudeen and Governors Azath Salley and M.L.A.M. Hizbullah over the allegations that they supported the National Tawheed Jamaat (NTJ). 

State Minister of Health Mohamed Faizal, State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Mohamed Harees, State Minister of Social Empowerment Ali Zahir Moulana and State Minister of Irrigation and Rural Economic Affairs Amir Ali Zeyed Mohamed too tendered their resignations in support of the three Cabinet Ministers. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declined to name the nominees to vacated posts but President Sirisena appointed a State Minister and two Deputy Ministers as Acting Cabinet Ministers to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of three Muslim Ministers on June 10. 

Accordingly, State Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Lucky Jayawardena was appointed as the Acting Minister of City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education with effect from yesterday. 

Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Buddhika Pathirana has been appointed as the Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development and Vocational Training and Skills. 

Deputy Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Mrs. Anoma Gamage has been appointed as the Acting Minister of Highways and Road Development and Petroleum Resources Development. 

Also, Mr. Wickremesinghe wrote to President Sirisena saying the appointments were unconstitutional as there was no provision in the Constitution to appoint Acting Ministers in the absence of a Cabinet Minister with full powers. 

“If the President agrees to reappoint the three ministers to their respective portfolios, they will be sworn in within this week,” the minister told Daily Mirror.