The Opposition today (9) alleging that the Ashoka Chakra was incorrectly used in place of the Dhamma Chakra in textbooks designated for Religions and Values and Buddhism.

The issue was brought to the floor by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, who claimed in Parliament that the symbol included in the modules does not align with the traditional Dhamma Chakra featured in the State Emblem. Premadasa alleged that the government had failed to maintain religious and historical accuracy in materials intended for students, demanding that the authorities correct these errors immediately by removing the incorrect pages and inserting the right ones.

In response, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya dismissed the allegations, clarifying that the symbol used is the officially recognised version for educational purposes. She informed the House that the selection was not arbitrary but had been approved by the Ministry of Buddhasasana and its Buddhist Advisory Council.

Amarasuriya noted that she had personally consulted with the highest authorities of the Buddhist clergy. She explained that on Thursday, 8 January 2026, she met with the Mahanayaka Theros of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters, who confirmed that the symbol used is indeed the approved version.

While acknowledging that a different variation of the symbol is frequently seen throughout the country, Amarasuriya emphasised that the version selected for the new modules holds official sanction from the relevant religious authorities.