The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) has called on all Tamil members of the National Peoples’ Power (NPP), including Trincomalee MP and Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra, to resign immediately over the government’s response in relation to the recent issue of a Buddha statue in Trincomalee.
A tense situation was reported yesterday after a group attempted to place a Buddha statue at a Dhamma school in a temple in the area last night. The Police were deployed to contain the situation, after which the statue was removed from the site.
Addressing the Parliament today, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said the statue was removed due to information of possible vandalism, adding that steps were taken to place the statue at the Dhamma school today, and that special police protection would be provided for its safety.
Commenting on Minister Wijepala’s statement, ITAK General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran said the government and Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala have given in to the undue pressures of the majoritarian forces.
“Last night, when the Police removed the illegally installed statue on the Trincomalee beach on the orders of the Minister, some people actually thought that the government was acting properly without any racist mindset. Alas! That was short-lived as the Minister demonstrated in Parliament that this government’s feet are also made of clay,” the former MP said in a statement on ‘X’.
Sumanthiran further pointed out that the government’s rhetoric of treating all the people equally fell flat on its face when the Minister unashamedly announced in Parliament that the statue was removed due to security concerns and that it would be reinstalled today.
“The NPP government stands exposed as a racist, Sinhala Buddhist nationalist force, no different to any other government in the past. All Tamil members of the NPP, including Trincomalee MP and deputy minister @arunhema19, must resign forthwith,” he added. (Newswire)
The ITAK is utterly dismayed by the conduct of the government and public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala for tamely giving into the undue pressures of the majoritarian forces. Last night when the Police removed the illegally installed statue on the Trincomalee beach on the…
— M A Sumanthiran (@MASumanthiran) November 17, 2025