No issue in giving priority to protecting Buddhism in the country: Lanka PM

Maintaining that all political parties and leaders of all religious faiths have no issue in giving priority to protect Buddhism in the country, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that they have given their permission to the provisions given by the Constitution to protect Buddhism.

The Colombo Page quoted Wickremesinghe as saying at an event as "We do not have a problem with regard to giving priority when protecting Buddhism. All Parties in Parliament today, including the Tamil National Alliance, have agreed to keep the articles protecting Buddhism unchanged in the Sri Lanka Constitution."

Wickremesinghe was speaking at a religious program held at the Sedawatte Veheragoda Viharaya in Kolonnawa.

He said that not only have the political parties expressed their readiness to protect the religion, the Catholic Cardinal as well as the Muslim Imams and Hindu Swamis have also accepted the article in the Constitution.

"Some are experts at protecting Buddhism through their words, but are equally adept at destroying the religion through their actions. As a State, the President, I and all of us, protect Buddhism, not through words, but through our actions," he added.

Wickremesinghe emphasized that the individuals need not have to create unnecessary issues over the future of Buddhism under the proposed new constitution.

"Same as protecting Buddhism, it is our duty as citizens of Sri Lanka, to build a Nation where we accept and respect the different religions and cultures as well," he pointed out.

Highlighted that the International Vesak festival will be held in Sri Lanka next year, he said that the government has also planned to hold a Theravada Buddhist Summit in 2018.