The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has decided to quit the government, putting Friday's crucial budget vote in further balance. SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem said the decision was taken to preserve dignity and to respect the wishes of the Muslim community. The decision is sequel to a crucial high command meeting held Tuesday evening. All six SLMC members in parliament are expected to crossover to the opposition today. Reliable sources said the SLMC Leader had come under severe pressure from his fellow members during the past week. They had urged Hakeem to pull out of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa led administration owing to the government's failure to address burning issues concerning the Muslim community.
"The party leadership has been under immense pressure from both SLMC stalwarts and representatives from the grass root level. Those carrying grievances have highlighted that the government has failed to deliver regarding the issues of the Muslim community. They point out that these issues regarding Muslims continue to be overlooked," sources said Tuesday night, adding, that the government had failed to resolve a single key grievance of the community. "The issues that plague both Northern and Eastern Muslims remain the same. There is no point in us remaining in the government if we cannot help the people who have mandated us" said the source.
Sources also said that despite several meetings between SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem and Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, the party had been forced to quit the government in the absence of a breakthrough in discussions.
The government's failure to return 5000 acres of land belonging to Muslims, which were taken over by the Environment Ministry and the failure to amend laws on the ban on noise pollution along with issues relating to portfolios have been identified as some of the problems which have been plaguing the Muslim community.
"As things stood Tuesday afternoon, we have decided to give up our portfolios and cross over to the opposition benches" a highly placed SLMC source said.
Informed sources also said that following the speech he made in Parliament during the committee stage of the Tourism Ministry Tuesday, SLMC leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem had told government ministers that it was the last speech that he would make on behalf the government.
Several ministers had later tried to get Minister Rauff Hakeem to change his mind but he had been adamant that he would not change his decision to quit the government.
The SLMC leader had, at a previous Cabinet meeting, told President Rajapaksa that he would tell the government well in advance if his party was to vote against the budget. When queried, a highly placed SLMC source said the party had kept its word and informed the government three days before the third reading of the budget, about the party's decision to leave. It is also learnt that the SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena had visited Hakeem Tuesday night in an attempt to persuade the SLMC leader to change his mind, but the efforts were said to have been in vain.
Meanwhile the SLMC and the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) will make an announcement today as to how they intend to vote on the third reading of the budget scheduled for Friday. Party sources said the CWC had had a meeting with the SLMC on Monday where the two parties discussed the current political developments in the country.
It is learned the Government too has made representations to Minister Hakeem urging him to vote for the budget with assurances all issues of concern to the party will be addressed after December 14. Informed sources said Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda had called on Hakeem's residence and urged him to vote with the Government.
The CWC under party leader Armugam Thondaman met in parliament Tuesday and discussed how the party should vote on the budget which decision too, an informed source said will in all probability be announced Thursday. The CWC has also convened a meeting of party seniors in Colombo this morning to ratify their decision on the budget vote.
It is learned a majority of the CWC members and grassroot organisations are in favour of voting against the budget but the final decision it is learned will be taken today.
The SLMC and CWC have six MPs each totaling 12.
The opposition has 105 votes to the Government's 119 provided the SLMC, CWC, independent MPs Nandana Gunatilleke and Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero and all other Government MPs vote for the budget.
However speculation is rife that two more parliamentarians would cross over to the opposition today.
Meanwhile Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has pledged to form a National Parliament after the third Budget Debate on December 14. "Get ready to take to the streets to form a National Parliament on December 14," he told a gathering at the Jana Rala rally in Mount Lavinia Tuesday.
Wickremesinghe said the proposals he presented recently were aimed at building a National Parliament in which all Parliamentarians would have a role to play. He also said each member would be included in the monitoring committees that would be appointed under his new proposals. "We will form a National Parliament instead of a national government," he added.
He also said that Parliament would become supreme under the new reforms, as the Cabinet would be appointed by the President in consultation with the Prime Minister.. Wickremesinghe said people cannot be starved although there is a war in the country.
Deputy Leader of the 'Jathika Sabha' and Convenor of SLFP (M), Mangala Samaraweera, meanwhile called for the immediate dissolution of Parliament, asserting that the people's mandate was distorted by 86 members changing sides.
He said the ' Jathika Sabha' would launch a campaign for elections on December 14 after the budget debate
"The party leadership has been under immense pressure from both SLMC stalwarts and representatives from the grass root level. Those carrying grievances have highlighted that the government has failed to deliver regarding the issues of the Muslim community. They point out that these issues regarding Muslims continue to be overlooked," sources said Tuesday night, adding, that the government had failed to resolve a single key grievance of the community. "The issues that plague both Northern and Eastern Muslims remain the same. There is no point in us remaining in the government if we cannot help the people who have mandated us" said the source.
Sources also said that despite several meetings between SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem and Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, the party had been forced to quit the government in the absence of a breakthrough in discussions.
The government's failure to return 5000 acres of land belonging to Muslims, which were taken over by the Environment Ministry and the failure to amend laws on the ban on noise pollution along with issues relating to portfolios have been identified as some of the problems which have been plaguing the Muslim community.
"As things stood Tuesday afternoon, we have decided to give up our portfolios and cross over to the opposition benches" a highly placed SLMC source said.
Informed sources also said that following the speech he made in Parliament during the committee stage of the Tourism Ministry Tuesday, SLMC leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem had told government ministers that it was the last speech that he would make on behalf the government.
Several ministers had later tried to get Minister Rauff Hakeem to change his mind but he had been adamant that he would not change his decision to quit the government.
The SLMC leader had, at a previous Cabinet meeting, told President Rajapaksa that he would tell the government well in advance if his party was to vote against the budget. When queried, a highly placed SLMC source said the party had kept its word and informed the government three days before the third reading of the budget, about the party's decision to leave. It is also learnt that the SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena had visited Hakeem Tuesday night in an attempt to persuade the SLMC leader to change his mind, but the efforts were said to have been in vain.
Meanwhile the SLMC and the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) will make an announcement today as to how they intend to vote on the third reading of the budget scheduled for Friday. Party sources said the CWC had had a meeting with the SLMC on Monday where the two parties discussed the current political developments in the country.
It is learned the Government too has made representations to Minister Hakeem urging him to vote for the budget with assurances all issues of concern to the party will be addressed after December 14. Informed sources said Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda had called on Hakeem's residence and urged him to vote with the Government.
The CWC under party leader Armugam Thondaman met in parliament Tuesday and discussed how the party should vote on the budget which decision too, an informed source said will in all probability be announced Thursday. The CWC has also convened a meeting of party seniors in Colombo this morning to ratify their decision on the budget vote.
It is learned a majority of the CWC members and grassroot organisations are in favour of voting against the budget but the final decision it is learned will be taken today.
The SLMC and CWC have six MPs each totaling 12.
The opposition has 105 votes to the Government's 119 provided the SLMC, CWC, independent MPs Nandana Gunatilleke and Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero and all other Government MPs vote for the budget.
However speculation is rife that two more parliamentarians would cross over to the opposition today.
Meanwhile Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has pledged to form a National Parliament after the third Budget Debate on December 14. "Get ready to take to the streets to form a National Parliament on December 14," he told a gathering at the Jana Rala rally in Mount Lavinia Tuesday.
Wickremesinghe said the proposals he presented recently were aimed at building a National Parliament in which all Parliamentarians would have a role to play. He also said each member would be included in the monitoring committees that would be appointed under his new proposals. "We will form a National Parliament instead of a national government," he added.
He also said that Parliament would become supreme under the new reforms, as the Cabinet would be appointed by the President in consultation with the Prime Minister.. Wickremesinghe said people cannot be starved although there is a war in the country.
Deputy Leader of the 'Jathika Sabha' and Convenor of SLFP (M), Mangala Samaraweera, meanwhile called for the immediate dissolution of Parliament, asserting that the people's mandate was distorted by 86 members changing sides.
He said the ' Jathika Sabha' would launch a campaign for elections on December 14 after the budget debate
