Bathiudeen willing to quit if Weerawansa proves allegations

• Former Minister challenges Weerawansa to prove allegations linking him to terrorists
• Says allegations levelled at him by the UPFA MP are blatant lies
• Believes no MP has right to spread hatred among communities
• Says family and supporters affected due to false statements

Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen told Parliament yesterday he will resign from his MP post and quit politics if United People›s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Wimal Weerawansa can prove allegations he has made linking Bathiudeen to a terrorist group.

“MP Weerawansa has said in Parliament that the suicide bomber at the house in Dematagoda is the daughter of my mother’s sister thus trying to link me to a terrorist group. This is a blatant lie. My mother has no sister. I am challenging MP Weerawansa to prove his allegations. If he can do so I will not only resign from my post as a MP but quit politics as well,” Bathiudeen, who is the leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), said.

He queried if the UPFA MP is willing to quit politics if he cannot prove the allegations he had made against a fellow MP.

“MPs have every right to speak freely in Parliament but no right to character assassinate others and spread hatred among communities. He has been continuously spreading false information about me and the Muslim community,” the former Minister of Commerce and Industry said in a statement to the House.

He said that the hate speech by MP Weerawansa was affecting not only him but also others connected to him.

“I am the father of three children. I have a family and there are people who are with me including my supporters. They too are being affected by the false statements that are being made against me. We will never support terrorists. We want to live in peace and unity in this country,” he said, adding that according all religious teachings, truth will prevail in the end.