Ven Gnanasara didn't meet HE. President Secretly - right to reply

Saturday, 26 April 2014

Bodu Bala Sena categorically deny the media reports published by certain media that HE the President Mahinda Rajapakse met the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena Ven Galagodaatte Gnanasara YThero secretly during the last week.

However Bodu Bala Sena has the interest of a such meeting between the President and Ven Gananasara Thero in order to discuss challenges faced by Buddhists and other critical aspects .

Ven Gnanasara Thero met the President last in January 2013 and there after he had not met him.

Editor’s note

We first extend our thanks to Dr. Dilanthe Withanage for responding to our news article.

Mr. Dilantha Withanage says in a very clever manner, but only that ‘Gnanasara Thera did not meet president Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ He never says it is incorrect to say that he and other representatives of Bodu Bala Sena did met the president.

According to what is being reported to us, the incident is as follows:

Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera had accompanied other BBS representatives to Temple Trees on April 23, but he had suddenly fallen ill and had left them to obtain treatment. The persons who had actually attended the discussion were Mr. Dilanthe Withanage, BBS national organizer Witharandeniye Nanda Thera and another BBS activist monk, who is not known much. However, on several times in the course of the discussion, Gnanasara Thera had spoken over the mobile phone to the president.

We further stress that it is at this discussion that the decision was taken to set up a ‘religious police’ attached to the religious affairs ministry. The president implemented that decision on the very next day. At its media briefing on April 24, the BBS thanked the president for having fulfilled its request.