According to reports, controversial Sri Lankan pastor Jerome Fernando and Zimbabwean pastor Uebert Angel have refused any association with the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The former president reportedly said yesterday (17) that he had only met with Pastor Jerome after the latter’s staff requested a meeting while Rajapaksa was the Prime Minister.
Rajapaksa added that because he was concurrently the Minister of Religious Affairs at the time, the meeting had been planned with the Prime Minister’s Office.
“It was a friendly meeting, and both Pastors led my wife and I in a brief prayer gathering. The photos were made available to the media because it was an official gathering. I have only ever met Pastor Jerome and Uebert Angel in that one situation; I have never met them before, and neither of us are close friends of mine, Rajapaksa said.
Mahinda Rajapaksa declared that there is no place for communal strife in Sri Lanka while denouncing Pastor Jerome’s most recent contentious remarks made during a church service.
“I vehemently condemn remarks made by any individuals who attempt to sow discord among the communities in Sri Lanka, particularly at a time when we have worked so hard as a country to bring about unity and put an end to all divisions,” Rajapaksa added.
The Sri Lanka Police are looking for Pastor Jerome Fernando after he made offensive remarks about Buddhism and other religions that sparked a national controversy.
A travel ban was requested against the preacher after President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the Criminal Investigations Department to conduct an investigation into the incident.
The Police official said that Pastor Jerome will be detained upon his return to Sri Lanka, however it was later discovered that he had left the nation on Sunday (May 14).