Sri Lankan postmaster who refuses to serve non-English speakers faces calls from Muslims to be sacked
By Daily Mail Reporter - 20th March 2009
By Daily Mail Reporter - 20th March 2009
The postmaster who banned customers who can't speak English from his branch today faced calls for him to be sacked from angry local Muslims.
Sri Lankan-born Deva Kumarasiri introduced the ban this week because he believes all immigrants in Britain should learn the language and take pride in the new homeland.
Mr Kumarasiri, who runs Sneinton Boulevard Post Office in inner-city Nottingham, moved here 18 years ago and says everyone should embrace British culture.
Backlash: Local Muslims are circulating a petition for Mr Kumarasiri to be sacked from his Post Office job
But the chairman of the local Mosque confirmed that a petition was circulating among Muslim residents calling for Mr Kumarasiri to go.
Aurangzeb Kahn said: 'There has been concern that people can be denied Post Office services because they can't speak English.
'There is a strong feeling among some local people that this is wrong.
'A single employee should not have the right to make that decision, especially if he is an employee of what is a public facility provided by the Government.'
Mr Kahn confirmed that local Muslims have started a petition calling for Mr Kumarasiri's dismissal but stressed the move had no connection with his Mosque,
He added that the Mosque wanted to investigate the issue moire fully before making any further comment.
The controversial ban was a major talking point among many Muslims attending prayers today in an area of Nottingham with a large Urdu-speaking Pakistani community.
Observed: Deva at his home, which officers are watching in case he attracts the wrong kind of attention
One man, who refused to be named, said: 'There is a lot of anger about this.
'We understand his point but it can take years to learn English and there are some elderly people who are too old to learn.
'A lot of people think he is wrong and want him gone.'
Mr Kumarasiri, who was inundated with cards and messages of support from across the UK said: 'I don't expect everyone to agree with me.
'It was inevitable that those who don't want to be fully integrated into this country would do something like this.
'For me it proves that there are elements out there who have no intention of ever [becoming] integrated.
'But I've had dozens of letters, cards and phone calls all supporting my stand.
[...]
Read all here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1163516/Sri-Lankan-postmaster-refuses-serve-non-English-speakers-faces-calls-Muslims-sacked.html
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