Central Provincial Council Member and MPUS leader Azath Salley slammed the good governance government for not being able to ensure a respectable quota for Sri Lankan Hajj pilgrims.

Speaking to Asian Mirror, Salley said that Sri Lanka was given a quota of 6500 by the Saudi government when former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power. In addition 350 others who work in Saudi Arabia were sent through the Sri Lankan Embassy while 150 could get the permission through the Ambassador as well, Salley added.

Overall 7000 Sri Lankans could take part in the Hajj pilgrimage, he insisted.

However, this year, the quota is reduced to only 2240, and the additional quotas are not being granted, Salley said. The Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs is not here to address the situation and other ministers in the government are acting irresponsibly, in a manner which alienates the Saudi government, he complained. Salley pointed out that Foreign Employment Minister Thalatha Athukorale had said that domestic workers will be sent to any country but Saudi Arabia and Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake had protested against the government.