Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath said that the government does not pay much attention to what a small group of monks with various narrow objectives do.
He said that those monks do various things and make various statements from time to time, and that as a government, they do not take such things into account much, but their government is doing a great deal of work for the perpetuation of the Buddha Sasana.
Expressing further comments, the Minister said the following.
“We took steps from the beginning to display the Tooth Relic. Also, recently, we brought the sacred relics of the Lord Buddha and provided an opportunity for the Buddhist people of this country to pay homage. Also, we are making a big intervention in the welfare of our monks in the monasteries and temples. As a government, today there is also this cabinet paper that says that houses should be built for the parents of those monks. So, as a government, we are making a big intervention in the Buddhist philosophy and religion of our country. We do not take much notice of the things that a small group of people with various narrow objectives do…”
He said this while participating in a press conference held at the Government Information Department to inform the cabinet decisions.