40 monks attend the ceremony where Mangala takes part

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Saturday that he did not know as why the temples had been barred for him despite the fact that he allocated a large sum of money for many temples in the country including those in Gampaha.

He said so expressing his views about the decision taken by a group of chief incumbents of the temples not to attend the ceremonies he attends in especially in Gampaha and Matara districts. Although the association of monks in Matara district has decided to boycott the ceremonies, it did not happen when the ceremony held at Matara Uyanwatta sports ground to distribute Samurdi entitlement certificates. There were about 40 monks who attended there. The minister was seen associating with the monks as usual.

He left the ceremony before it was over and went to Matara Manthinda temple,walpola Siri Mangala pirivena and Welegoda Sudassananda temple and had a intimate discussion with the chief incumbents of those temples. In this way the ban imposed by the association of Matara Chief Incumbents was not implemented on this occasion itself. Mr. Mangala Samaraweera said further,“I saw in the papers that the temples in the Gampaha district have been banned for me. I thought for what wrong was that? What is the wrong deed done by me? I have given Rs. 208 million for the development of 378 temples in the Gampaha district. In this way, I have given Rs.2090 million to develop 4124 temples in Sri Lanka. In Matara district, money has been allocated and work is in progress to develop 340 temples. In addition, a large sum of money has been allocated for the development of Catholic churches, mosques and Hindu kovils.”