Ranil must apologise to Maha Sangha - Prelate

Salie Karunasena

Ranil Wickremesinghe should make a public apology to the Maha Sangha for the insult he caused to them by talking about heresy. If Wickremesinghe fails to do so he will be dubbed as ‘Heretic Wickremasinghe’ in the future, Sabaragamuwa University Chancellor Prof Ven Kamburugamuwe Vajira Thera said addressing a press conference at the Abhayaramaya Temple, Narahenpita yesterday.

The Samastha Lanka Pevidi Sanvidhanaya organized the press conference. Ven Vajira Thera said history recorded that king Mahasen had tried to cause division among the Maha Sangha during the Anuradhapura era.

Wickremesinghe seemed to have taken over that task today as proved by his utterances. King Mahasen had thereafter realized his fault and apologized to the Maha Sangha for his wrong doing.

Similarly Wickremesinghe too should apologize to the Maha Sangha for the insult caused, the prelate said.

Ven. Vajira Thera said responsible political leaders should exercise more care in making statements about the Buddha Sasana. Making statements that would cause a crisis in the Sasana seemed nothing new to Wickremesinghe, he said.Ven. Vajira Thera said such statements made by Wickremesinghe proved that he had not been brought up according to Buddhist tradition and discipline.

He said today Buddhist discourses and rituals were being conducted at Temple Trees. Wickremesinghe, however, had not set such examples during his tenure as Prime Minister, he said.