Opposition Leader Mr Sajith Premadasa stated in Parliament today (24) that it is commendable to apologize for the mandatory cremation policy enforced during the COVID-19 epidemic in Sri Lanka. He criticized former President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s cabinet ministers for supporting this decision, which he claimed violated the religious and cultural rights of the Muslim community, fostering racism and discrimination in the country.
Mr Premadasa demanded transparency in the decision-making process regarding the cremation policy, questioning who advised the decision and why the political authority was not consulted. He emphasized that those responsible for this wrong decision should be named, and compensation should be provided to the affected Muslim community. He also asserted that seeking forgiveness alone is insufficient to address the grievances caused by the policy.
