Courtesy Hiru News

The proposed new bill to amend the Penal Code, which seeks to criminalise corporal punishment, has been strongly criticised by a former government minister and President’s Counsel as a move that could lead to “anarchy” and destabilise the country.

The government maintains that the bill, which Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya recently said does not target schools or teachers, is aimed at ending disciplinary methods that cause harm to students and providing legal punishment for such offences.

However, several factions, including the Chief Prelates of the Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters of the Siam sect, as well as the Amarapura and Ramanna sects, have already raised concerns, stating that governing by “imitation of foreign practices” and disregarding traditional customs could result in a “social catastrophe.”

Speaking against this backdrop, former Minister of Justice, Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, explained his stance on the proposed legislation.

Claims of foreign interference

Dr Rajapakshe revealed that similar proposals were consistently rejected during his tenure as Justice Minister, asserting that such amendments are often pushed by external groups.

“There are many organisations, such as international NGO and many other interested groups, that have been interfering in our legislature during the last several decades,” he said. “When I was the minister since 2015, there were many agencies which came with several suggestions, which included this type of amendment to the penal code. Similarly, just to legalise homosexuality and also to pass laws to legalise same-sex marriage. I think that I may have received more than 100 times this kind of suggestion, but every time that I put them into the dustbin.”

Bill a ‘long-term plan’ to destabilise Sri Lanka

The former Minister strongly criticised the current government for accepting the proposal, characterising it as a “long-term plan” designed to destabilise the nation.

“I don’t know why this government accepted this kind of proposal. This is just to make use of our parliament to fulfil some aspirations of international organisations, a few local organisations in Sri Lanka and also some vulnerable groups who wanted to do it. It is a shame that any government pass this law,” he asserted.

Dr Rajapakshe continued: “This is not really happening for the sake of protecting the rights of the children. This is a long-term plan, whereas this is one of the best modes just to destabilise the country. Because these Western forces never wanted to see a country like Sri Lanka stabilised politically, socially and culturally. Therefore, there is a conspiracy to which the government has got caught up. It is really a shame.”

Contributing towards an indisciplined society

Dr Rajapakshe went on to explain how criminalising disciplinary measures would ultimately lead to a lack of social order:

“Hereafter, what will happen is that teachers will be willing to go to jail by addressing and correcting students. They will allow children and students to do whatever they want. Finally, they won’t be disciplined either in school. If there is no discipline in the school, it will lead to an indisciplined society. Finally, the country will fall into a state of anarchy,” Dr Rajapakshe noted.

He concluded that current laws are already sufficient for child protection, and that the proposed bill will have a “disastrous effect” on the next generation. “In fact, for the protection children need, we have passed laws and amended all the laws commencing from the colonial period, and that protection is more than enough. I don’t think that this is a protection. This can have a disastrous effect on the next generation. This act is not to protect the children. This is to destroy the children,” he stated.