Jeevan Thondaman has reportedly threatened Directo of Health Services Anila Jasinghe over the phone last evening (29) after had the latter had advised Jeevan to adhere to health guidelines and comply with quarantine laws when organizing the funeral rites of his father, the late Minister Arumugam Thondaman. Jasinghe had opposed the attempts to hold the funeral rites in a manner contravening all quarantine laws and the curfew imposed in the Nuwara Eliya district.
According to sources Health officials in the Nuwara Eliya district had observed that quarantine laws were being violated when the late Minister’s cortege was brought to the Nuwara Eliya district and complained about the matter to the Ministry of Health. Accordingly, curfew was imposed from the morning of May 29.
However, officials had met yesterday afternoon (29) after receiving repeated complaints that even the curfew was being violated by the funeral organizers and the attendees. Top officials of the Ministry, including the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, had attended the meeting and it had been decided that arrangements must be made to ensure quarantine laws were being adhered to.
But it was reported that Jeevan Thondaman was planning to hold the last rites of his father tomorrow (31) with the attendance of nearly 5000 people. As a result, Jasinghe had contacted the son of the late Minister yesterday evening and explained that social distancing rules should be followed at the funeral and set an example to the country considering the efforts made to contain Covid 19 from spreading in the island.
But not taking kindly to the advice Thondaman had retorted asking Jasinghe to keep his advice on social distancing to himself and that it was necessary to bring in people to attend the funeral as his father was a politician who was always with the people. He had stressed that he was not prepared to hold the funeral without the attendance of crowds.
