It was a technical defect, not an act of arson-Proprietors

The owners of the Tea factory in Nawalapitiya, which was damaged extensively due to a fire recently, rejected the statement made by Minister Rauff Hakeem that it was an arson attack.

They said the fire was due to a technical defect.

The owners, Naha Udayar and Razik Hajjiyar also condemned Minister Hakeem's statement.

"90% of the people who work in this factory are Sinhalese and that there are no communal minded people in Nawalapitiya as claimed," they said.

They also said so at the time when Kandy District Parliamentarian, Mahindananda Aluthgamage visited the factory to see the destruction cause to the factory.

Minister Hakeem, while participating at ‘Rekiya Piyasa’ programme the St. Sylvester College in Kandy, said that the Muslim people in the country were harassed by extremists and the fire also was an arson attack. (Suranga Rajanayake)

Pix by Suranga Rajanayaka