Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha had expressed his views regarding the Mihinthala Rajamaha Viharaya Chief Incumbent Venerable Walawahangunawewe Dhammarathana Thero calling him the ‘ Savage of Mihinthala’, the National Sangha Sabha Chairman Venerable Liyanwela Sasanarathana Thero had expressed his views.
The Thero stated that educational reforms determine the future of the country’s children, but as our country is a country nourished by Theravada Buddhism, there is a way in which education should be reformed, and when such a reform is carried out, it should be done by bringing together religious leaders, scholars, intellectuals and philosophical ideologies and discussing this with all parties and the opposition in the legislature.
Expressing further views, the Venerable Thera pointed out that he and other religious leaders have the right to challenge the cunning agendas that are ‘stealing’ the country based on the teachings of the Lord Buddha.
Addressing the Chief Incumbent of Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya as ‘Mihintale Vanacharia’ in a place where the country’s second-largest citizen, Prime Minister Harini Amarasooriya, as well as nobles and government employees, is a very lowly act, the Venerable Thera said, adding that no politician in the country has ever insulted the Maha Sangha in this way.
Therefore, the Venerable Thera stated that Minister Lalkantha should retract his statement.