MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader and former minister Rauf Hakeem warned the government that serious local and global implications could occur unless it revises its cremation policy.
Hakeem was speaking at the parliament during the Third Reading of the Budget which was passed with a majority of 97 votes on Thursday.
The former minister told the government that the Muslim community is deeply grieved over this problem and its members are in a traumatic stage in fear of their cremation which has been forced upon its people. He said continuance of this policy could radicalize the Muslim youths, who are deeply disappointed over this forced cremation.
The government has appointed a technical committee to review its mandatory cremation on Covid infected remains. From time to time, the committee which has refused to rescind the cremation rule, has been reviewing its decision according to the health situations in the country, the government said earlier.
In his speech, Hakeem charged that the technical committee comprises of pseudo-scientists who have rejected the scientific explanations given by virologists who are competent to give their opinion on this matter.
“ I am pleading on behalf of the community to revise this rule to restore the lost last rites of the Muslims who were used to perform the traditional last respects to their beloved ones ,” he concluded.
