Christian preacher Paul Dhinakaran, who was in Sri Lanka on a business visa, was banned from holding a religious gathering by the Sri Lankan government.
An appeal was made on behalf of the Jaffna Shiv Sena organization, when pamphlets were publicly distributed by ‘Jesus Calls’ Paul Dhinakaran group stating that a religious gathering would be held for three days from Thursday (23rd March to 25th March) in Jaffna.
Sri Lankan Shiva Sena appealed to the people and the police that a person visiting on a business visa should not be allowed to engage in religious preachings. In this situation, Paul Dhinakaran’s team, which had been involved in religious events in Colombo and Kandy, arrived at Jaffna airport by private flight from Ratmalana airport at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The Immigration Control Officers prohibited the Paul Dhinakaran team from leaving the airport after they arrived at Jaffna Airport. After extensive negotiations, on Thursday night at 8 pm, the immigration officials, after confiscating the passports, allowed the Jesus Calls group to stay in a hotel in Jaffna and warned them that they should not hold any religious meetings.
More than 50 Hindus from the Manipai area had written to the DIG of Police in Jaffna, requesting that no permission for the religious propaganda meeting be granted to the Jesus Calls group. The Shiva Sena, which had planned a protest for March 24th, called it off after immigration officials barred Paul Dinakaran and his team from holding a religious meeting.
In a complaint addressed to the DIG of Police, Jaffna, they said, “We wish to bring to your kind notice of a situation developing in Manipay and Rasavin Thoddam in Jaffna district which will create law and order problem towards disturbing the peace, tranquility and interfaith relationships.”
They added that the meeting violates Section 3 of the ICCPR Act of 2007 and Section 2(1)(h) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which states that no one shall propagate war or advocate national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence.
Paul Dinakaran who landed in Sri Lanka for a miracle healing meeting, was arrested and deported back to India in the airport.
Shri. Sachidanand of Shiv Sena was instrumental for this. pic.twitter.com/PI5DjPdjI3
— Indu Makkal Katchi (Offl) 🇮🇳 (@Indumakalktchi) March 24, 2023
(With inputs from Uthayannews.ca)
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