Chandrika questions failure to punish “rascals”
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has questioned the failure by President Ranil Wickremesighe to punish the “rascals” who conjured up lies about Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen.
Kumaratunga said that it is still not too late for President Wickremasinghe to have the culprits apprehended and punish them.
“What about the rascals who conjured up lies about Dr. Shafi and spread them across the country, destroying the life of a good man ? Still not too late for President Wickremasinghe to have the culprits apprehended and punish them. That will be true Democratic governance!” she said in a post on social media.
She also asked why the venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara thero and a host of others who insulted Islam were not arrested.
“Natasha was arrested for purportedly insulting Buddhism. What about Monk Gnanasara and a host of others who insulted Islam, burnt churches and places of Christian worship and Mosques ? Spread hate speech against Moslem and Tamil citizens, more vicious than Natasha’s words,” she said.
She said that while Buddhism must receive utmost respect, all other religions must also receive such respect in equal measure.
“Every citizen has the sacred right to believe and follow ANY religion he wishes to. A truth inherent to the Buddhist philosophy of Loving kindness, tolerance of others and their beliefs,” she said.
Kumaratunga further noted that if Sri Lankan Buddhists genuinely live by Buddhist principles Sri Lanka would certainly not be in the mess it is in today. (Colombo Gazette)
