– The United National Party (UNP) alleged that the government is trying to fulfil vested interests by its proposal to amend the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931 and by setting up a sanga court.

“Assets and properties in the monasteries and temples fall under the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance. It is no secret that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is taking the position that these temples should be taken under government control. There is a strong suspicion that the Dharma Court is being created for this purpose. An organised programme to destroy Buddhism is being implemented today through government-affiliated social media. A section of civil society is also involved in it. What is always happening today is the marginalisation of the Buddhist monastic-lay opinion,” a statement from UNP said.