The Colombo Magistrate Court has finally released former MP Vijayakala Maheshwaran from a case filed against her more than five years ago after she made remarks calling for a resurgence of the LTTE to curb high crime rates in North-East.
Maheswaran faced criticism from cross-party Sinhala politicians for calling for a resurgence of the LTTE in order to curb rising crime rates in North-East and was forced to resign from her ministerial post.
Speaking at a rally in Jaffna in June 2018, the former MP highlighted the marked lack of violence against women and girls in the de facto state of Tamil Eelam. She had previously served in the capacity of Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, State Minister of Child Affairs, and the State Minister of Education.
MPs from the South used the opportunity to rally support against the MP, with criticism from cross-party Sinhala politicians which led to her resignation from her ministerial portfolio, and being placed under investigation for five years.
However, she refused to apologise, stating “I will not succumb to others’ sentiments or pay a price that I am not entitled to settle".
“I was born on Tamil soil and if the people from the South had lived with us they will have the same sentiments I have expressed."
“I expressed how the Tamils lived during the LTTE time and how they are living now. We did not know what rape was, child rape, drugs, molesting, sexual harassment, murder and robbery but now it is ‘forced’ on us. If that expression is worrisome to others, that is not my fault.”
“I stand by what I said and will not lose my dignity or respect by withdrawing the statement I made.”
After five years of investigation, the Attorney General’s department has concluded that the investigation against her cannot be sustained due to the lack of evidence.
