Courtesy Hiru News

The government-led intervention involving allegations over the placement of a Buddha statue at the Trincomalee Bodhirajarama Temple is a deliberate crime against the Sasana.

Most Venerable Dr. Ittapane Dhammalankara Thera, the Chief Prelate of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha, conveyed this view in a letter addressed to the President.

The Chief Prelate points out that the opposition to the statue’s placement originated from a group including a member of the Tamil Diaspora and a member of the current government, rather than from any other ethnic or religious community.

He believes the issue arose because the police acted arbitrarily and followed certain political instructions.

The letter expresses deep regret regarding the imprisonment of ten individuals, including Buddhist monks, in connection with the incident.

Placing a very small Buddha statue on the foundation of the old sermon hall destroyed by the Tsunami does not cause any harm to the location.

Describing the reconstruction of a building on the original site as a “new construction” is an ignorant act.

The monks placed the statue on sacred land protected and offered to the Sasana by ancient kings; they faced assault for attempting to place a Buddha statue and not for committing any crime.

The details in the letter are based on media reports and information gathered by a delegation from the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha sent to the site.

While national and religious issues existed in Sri Lanka during certain eras in the past, such problems are non-existent today.

Therefore, the Chief Prelate requests the President to intervene and take steps to immediately release the ten individuals, including the monks.