Gnanasara Thera Slams Cardinal Ranjith As PCOI Report On Easter Sunday Attacks Recommends Prohibition Of Bodu Bala Sena

February 23, 2021

Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera today slammed Colombo Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith over the latter's "strange pain" Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) report on Easter Sunday attacks.

Gnanasara Thera said made this remark at a press conference today. This coincided with the tabling of the PCOI report in Parliament, which recommended the prohibition of extremist religious organisations such as the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).

"We we exposed the conduct of Islamist terrorists in the past, the likes of Cardinal were not bothered by it. At that point, they were talking about reconciliation and human rights. If they had the same pain when we made those revalations, Easter Sunday attacks could have been avoided," Gnanasara Thera said.

"Even at that point, they pointed fingers at us for being racist. Even today, they find fault with us, " Gnanasara Thera added alluding to the recommendations of the commission report.

"As Buddhists we do not obly look at the 'outcome'. We also look at the root cause. There cannot be an outcome without a root cause. That's what we want to remind Cardinal Ranjith," the Buddhist monk said.

Cardinal Ranjith, making a strong statement, told politicians of all parties not to come for meetings with him without making the PCOI report on the Easter Sunday attacks public.