– Amid calls for the release of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, Minister K.D. Lal Kantha today assured that neither President Anura Kumara Dissanayake nor the Government would take a decision to release Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, who is serving a prison sentence, in violation of the Government’s mandate.Speaking to reporters, the Minister said the Government’s mandate was to uphold the rule of law and ensure equality before the law, adding that the President would not take any decision contrary to that mandate.

He said the demand by a group of Buddhist monks for a Presidential pardon for Ven. Gnanasara Thera could not be fulfilled, as doing so would violate the Government’s mandate.“We cannot go against the mandate under any circumstances. I am certain that the President will not take a decision contrary to the mandate. One should make demands that can be fulfilled,” he said.A group of Buddhist monks who had erected temporary shelters and staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat, demanding the release of Ven. Gnanasara Thera, dismantled the shelters and vacated the site following a court order issued today.