Buddha statue at CMC removed: Venerable Omalpe Sobitha

Mayor refutes claim, sends fb post as proof

The Chief Sangha Nayaka of the Southern Province Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera yesterday alleged that the Buddha statue that was in the office of Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake has been removed.

The Venerable thera said this during a function held to mark the centenary of the Daham Pasala at the Vajirarama Temple held at the BMICH last evening.

“The Buddha Statue which was in the office of the Colombo Mayor has been removed.there have been a number of non Buddhists who have been elected Mayor in the past. However none of them removed this statute at any time. So one wonders as to why the incumbent mayor removed this statue and who gave the order to do so,“the Thera said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was one of the chief guests at the event, said he had called Ms. Senanayake to verify this claim as soon as the Thera mentioned the removal of the statue during the function. “She informed me that it has not been removed and was inside the Townhall premises. She sent me a facebook picture of the statue as proof,” the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe then stressed that Daham Pasal (Sunday School) plays a role in enriching one’s spiritual values.“we study Buddhism in schools as a subject but the Daham Pasala enriches one’s spiritual values further,” he said. He stressed that the challenge today is to find ways and means to safeguard Buddhism in a world where technology has taken over everyones lives.“we have to face the changing world. I don’t know what technologies would emerge when the students of this Daham Pasal grow up one day. Therefore we should look for ways and means to promote Buddhism and to move on with the changing world,” he added. Maha Nayaka of the Amarapura Chapter Most Venerable Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera said that disharmony between religious groups in this country was at an all-time low today. He said any issue should be resolved amicably and stressed that unity should be preserved.“Let’s live in harmony in one country as brothers and sisters,” the Venerable Thera said.

We study Buddhism in schools as a subject but the Daham Pasala enriches one’s spiritual values further