|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 10 June 2003 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
by Ananda Kannangara The attempted assault on the Chief Incumbent of the Lankaji Temple, Japan Venerable Banagala Upatissa Thera allegedly by activists of the JVP during a visit by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the temple has drawn strong condemnation from the local Buddhist clergy. This same group with strong links to the JVP had earlier attempted to disrupt a religious ceremony attended by the Sri Lankan Premier at the temple. The Premier inaugurated the construction work on a new dagoba at the Lankaji Temple. Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera condemning the attack on a brother monk said that these so called patriotic youth had committed a disgraceful and reprehensible act which will be roundly condemned by any cultured society. "People are free to air their views, but a place of worship is hardly the place for it. This is a display of their base attitudes," the Ven. Thera said. The Venerable Thera also lamented the low behaviour of our own people in the eyes of the international community. Venerable Talalle Dhammaloka Thera said that he was saddened to hear about the incident at the Lankaji Viharaya. No Lankans prior to this had committed an offence of this nature against a venerable buddhist prelate. "An insult had been perpetrated not only against a member of the Maha Sangha but also an important personage such as the Prime Minister of the country." The Viharadhipathi described this as a cowardly act by a group of Sri lankans against a fellow Lankan and a member of the Maha Sangha at that. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
