Prime Minister D M Jayaratne yesterday slammed the Ravana Balaya Buddhist organization by asking “How ‘Ravana’ could be an idol for a Buddhist organization?”

The Prime Minister yesterday made these remarks at a press conference held in Colombo to respond to the allegations leveled against him by the Ravana Balaya organization.  

“While he might have been a great man who achieved many feats, he was also an abductor of a woman, which is against Buddhist ideals”, the Prime Minister said.

Jayaratne also told reporters that he was capable of discharging the duties of his position as the Minister of Buddha Sasana. While admitting that he had some hearing imparities the Prime Minister said his eyesight was almost perfect.  

The Prime Minister said that he had done unprecedented service to the Buddha Sasana during his tenure as the Minister and that there have been many development projects of temples and other institutions of Buddhism during his time in the Ministry.

In an earlier instance the ‘Ravana Balaya’ organization requested the Maha Nayakas of Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters of the Siyam Nikaya to pressure the government to remove the Buddha Sasana Ministry from Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne.