Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Sunday criticised President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent remarks on religious observances, warning that they could encourage extremism and undermine harmony in Sri Lanka.
In a special statement, Premadasa said the President’s comments regarding the worship of Buddhist religious sites amounted to “giving space for extremism” and were inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution. He emphasised that while the Constitution accords Buddhism a special place, it also guarantees protection and freedom for all other religions and cultures.
Premadasa stressed that Sri Lanka must move forward by safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity, while promoting brotherhood and reconciliation among all communities.
He was responding to remarks made by President Dissanayake at the launch of the “Ratama Ekata” (A United Nation) anti-drug campaign in the Northern Province, where the President said racism would not be allowed to resurface and accused certain groups of attempting to revive racial divisions through religious activities and protests.
Referring to a recent incident linked to the Tissa Viharaya in Jaffna, the President had stated that travelling to specific locations to observe Sil on Poya days was driven by hatred rather than virtue, and alleged that protests around temples over land issues were motivated by racism. He added that intelligence services had been instructed to investigate such activities.
Premadasa rejected this characterisation, stating that people across the country have the right to worship Buddhist religious sites and that such acts are not driven by hatred. He noted that pilgrimages to sacred places, including the Solosmasthana, encourage people to travel across different regions regardless of ethnic or religious differences.
He also pointed out that Buddhists visit religious sites in the North, such as Kebiliththa, and that people of all faiths frequently visit Buddhist, Christian and Catholic places of worship without any intention of fostering hostility.
While acknowledging that small extremist groups exist within all communities, Premadasa said there was no place for extremism in a country guided by the Buddhist principle of the middle path. He warned that statements questioning religious observances could strengthen extremist elements.
The Opposition Leader urged the government to fully understand and uphold the Constitution, refrain from making statements that contradict the special status accorded to Buddhism, and continue to respect and protect all religions and cultures. He added that unity and reconciliation are vital for national security and cautioned against rhetoric that could deepen social divisions.
Premadasa concluded by saying Sri Lankans are taught from a young age to respect all religions, and that exploiting religious sentiment to create social hostility for political gain is unacceptable.
