Abhayaramaya out of bounds for political meetings

Colombo District Judge issues injunction against media conferences, political meetings in the temple precincts

The Rajapaksa renaissance movement appeared to suffer another blow yesterday, when the Colombo District Court issued an injunction against the Abhayaramaya Temple in Narahenpita, preventing the chief incumbent from leasing the premises out for political meetings, media events and press conferences.

The temple’s chief monk Muruththetuwe Ananda Thero was also noticed to appear before the Court regarding this case on 15 February.

Since his defeat in the 8 January 2015 presidential election, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his loyalists have used the Abhayaramaya temple buildings for political meetings and as de facto headquarters of the pro-Rajapaksa UPFA cabal.

However Colombo District Judge T.D. Gunesekera has issued the injunction on such activities based on a case filed by the Chief Incumbent of the Poorwarama Temple in Kirulapone, Pathberiye Wimalagnana Thero who complained that the temple was not being used for religious purposes as intended.

The Poorwarama Temple Chief Incumbent in his case, said the Abhayaramaya Temple’s discipline was suffering and Buddhism was being undermined by the political activities taking place at the temple premises.

The complaint against the Abhayarama chief monk states that a three storey building within the temple premises was being leased out to hold press conferences, trade union meetings and political meetings and before that, it was leased out to a computer company. The complaint states that the profits from these activities were not going towards the upkeep of the temple.

In his complaint Wimalagnana Thero states that the Chief Monk of Abhayaramaya was making unilateral decisions with regard to leasing the space and the funds were being abused. As a result, the complaint argues, all Buddhist monks associated with the temple and Buddhism itself was being dragged through the mud. (DB)