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| Rishad Bathiudeen |
The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) led by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen will oppose moves to merge the Northern and Eastern provinces. "We will not be in any political alliance which supports the remerger of the two provinces," ACMC Western Province Chief Organiser Riyaz Salley told The Island yesterday.
Riyaz Salley said that Minister Bathiudeen and all their members were against the proposed merger which, he claimed, would reduce Eastern Muslims to be a "minority within a minority."
"The ACMC is not Bathiudeen’s personal property and he will, therefore, stand by the majority decision at any cost," Salley, who is also the Chairman of the Islamic Solidarity Front (ISF) emphasised.
The Muslims, especially in the East, had suffered enough and the ACMC could not allow them to suffer any further, he said.
Salley also said the Muslims could not expect support from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. "If support ever comes, it will be from either Maithri or Mahinda."
"Sumanthiran acts as if he were the Deputy Prime Minister and Ranil should be blamed for creating this situation.
The Island
The Island