UNF minister threatens to quit

A low-ranking minister of the ruling United National Front (UNF) is threatening to resign claiming that the government had failed to fulfil the promises given to the people in northern Sri Lanka.

The Minister for Hindu Cultural Affairs, T. Maheshwaran, had tendered his resignation three days back, but party leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has refused to accept the resignation.

But the minister has warned that if it is not accepted by the premier he would send it to the president. Two days ago the minister had met the premier to explain his position, following an exchange of words during the government's Parliamentary group meeting.

His main grouse has been that he was not being consulted sufficiently regarding development activities connected with the north and instead the government was working along with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which is associated with the Tamil guerrillas.

Maheswaran had handed over a copy of a six-page letter to the Prime Minister's Office a few days ago, through Vanni Rehabili-tation Assisting Minister Noordeen Mashoor who was to hand over the letter to the Premier during the parliament group meeting.

Maheswaran at the group meeting said he only wanted answers to the questions raised in his letter and grabbed the letter from Wickremesinghe. The premier had in turn grabbed it from the minister.

Maheswaran had brought his grievances to Wickremesinghe's notice and claimed the Tamils in the North had been misled. He said though he was appointed as the Hindu Affairs Minister, it was only a namesake appointment as he hardly had any responsibilities.

Maheshwaran told Gulf News yesterday said that unless his grievances are addressed by the Prime Minister he would not change his position.

He said that he would not participate at any Cabinet meeting or parliamentary session but he would attend Parliament once in three months in order to keep his MP's post.

The threat to resign came at a time when the government has been looking to get some of the opposition members to cross over to their side in a bid to get proposed constitutional amendments passed.