The All Ceylon Makkal Congress, the party led by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, vowed that the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against their leader.
Clearing the air on the alleged association and ‘membership’ of recently arrested Dr. Seigu Saafi (of the Kurunegala hospital) with their Party, they said that he was already removed from ACMC some time ago. They also insist that the political opposition is making false allegations in the NCM against Minister Bathiudeen on “an anti-ACMC agenda.”
“Dr Shafi is not a member of ACMC. ACMC has only five MPs in the Parliament. Dr Shafi had left our party after we too let him go” said the ACMC Lawyer Rushdy Habib, addressing a special press briefing at SLFI, Colombo 7.
The press briefing also focused on clarifying some issues raised by the No Confidence Motion brought against ACMC Leader and the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. “ACMC has only five MPs in the Parliament. Dr Shafi had left our party after we too let him go. He received high number of votes in Kurunegala but since ACMC list had only five MPs in Parliament and he was the sixth, and he was removed from ACMC membership and fixed to the UNP list. Therefore we have no associations with him now” said Lawyer Habib.
He added: “Also with regard to arrest of former Provincial Council MP Rifkan Bathiurdeen, the issue has been raised whether he, after being arrested, having obtained a statement was then released without being produced to the Courts. During a round-up operation he too was questioned just as any other individual coming under their search. He was questioned about his vehicle as well. But he was not arrested since there was nothing suspicious with him or about the vehicle. Rifkhan was only questioned during the search since in any roundup, everyone is questioned-even if they round up a judicial official, he too will be questioned-that is the routine of a roundup. But some media reported that Rifkhan was “arrested and then released”, which was false and wrong.” Former ACMC MP (PC) P Jayathilleke, addressing the briefing said:
