New Government Anti-Buddhist thugs led by Ranjan Ramanayake threatens Taiwan sponsored Buddhist meditation centre

(Courtesy of Lankaweb)

A group of Christian thugs led by another Christian Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake raided a Buddhist meditation centre owned by a well know Buddhist monk in Taiwan Ven Bodhagama Chandima at Imbulgoda, Kadawatha recently. Ven Bodhagama Chandima  is a well know Buddhist activist both in Sri Lanka and inTaiwan. He has also built a temple in Manel watta which was owned by wife of former president J.R. Jayawardene.

The Deputy Minister of Social Services, Welfare and Livestock, Ranjan Ramanayake himself  a Christian raided this centre pretending that the luxury meditation centre was built by Rajapakse family to be used exclusively by  Rajapaksase.

Contrary to Ranjan Ramanayke’s claim Ven Bodhagama Chandima has brought funds from Taiwanese Buddhists to build this modern meditation centre worth over Rs. 1000 million to be used both by local as well foreign devotees.

The building of this facility has also been promoted by Mahinda Rajapakse just as any other Buddhist meditation centres and temples in Sri Lanka which normally get presidential blessings.  But this facility has never been used by the Rajapaksase family. First Ranjan Ramanayake accused Ven Dhammaloka for  building this temple for Mahinda Rajapakse but later Ven Dhammaloka issued a statement denying it.

Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake along with his goons accompanied by the local Police has raided a super luxury meditation centre, despite the resident monk who is the administrator of the meditation centre dismissed the claims made by the Deputy Minister and insisted that the premises are being constructed by him and has no link to the Rajapaksase.

Minister Ramanayake speaking to Daily Mirror said he accompanied a team of journalists from a private media institution who had received news of the luxury meditation centre located in Imbulgoda, Kadawatha, as they had not been allowed to enter the premises earlier. No expenses had been spared in planning and constructing this meditation centre that is spread over eight acres. It is fully-fledged complete with ebony furnishings, a massive library, Italian bathroom fittings and a helipad,” he said suggesting that all Buddhist temples should, now on, get prior planning and construction permission from the “Ya(sa)hapalanaya” government in which  most of the ministers and deputies are non-Buddhists.

Ramanayake says up until January 8, a team of over 60 army personnel had been stationed in and around the centre to provide security but added that on the day of the raid, only three of them were stationed.

According to him, the premises are believed to have been the abode of King Walagamba but that does not mean that government thugs can forcefully enter a well-respected meditation centre in the country in which 70% of the population are Buddhists.

Independent observers believe that the present government is deliberately agitating for an unnecessary religious confrontation, among otherwise calm and peaceful Buddhist majority in Sri Lanka.

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