We took this decision for the sake of the country,” he said. He was addressing the media after a meeting with the Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siyam Nikaya, Most Ven.Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thera at the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya in Kandy yesterday.Hakeem added that the members of Maha Sangha and the Prime Minister too were of the view that the resignation of Muslim Ministers from the government hardly augurs well for the country. He said that members of the Muslim community faced harassment in some areas of the country in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks.
“They feared that the situation would be further aggravated after Parliamentarian Ven.Athuraliye Rathana Thera started a fast demanding the removal of several Muslim politicians from their positions.These former Ministers felt that Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen was being targetted as he did not support former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to gain a majority in Parliament when the latter was made Prime Minister in October, last year.