Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the removal of the Buddhist monk robes of Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero and his being dressed in lay clothing were carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Prisons Ordinance.
Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held today (06), Minister Jayatissa stated that the Department of Prisons had acted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Prisons Ordinance in this instance.
The Minister further stated that 63 Buddhist monks are currently serving prison sentences for various offences and that the same procedure has been applied to all of them.
“There is a prescribed procedure for taking such action under the Prisons Ordinance. No special exception was made in this instance. The Department of Prisons acted in accordance with prison law and the provisions of the Prisons Ordinance in the case of Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, in exactly the same manner as it has acted in respect of the 63 monks currently serving prison sentences. This is not something that was done solely in relation to this monk; it is a standard procedure carried out under the Prisons Ordinance.”
Significant public attention has been focused on the fact that Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero was brought before the court today wearing lay clothing.
The Kotte Sangha Sabha has also issued a statement on the matter and addressed a letter to the Commissioner General of Prisons.
The letter states that there are no records before the Sangha Sabha indicating that Venerable Gnanasara Thero has committed a serious offence or any other offence under the ‘Vinaya Pitaka’ warranting his disrobing.
The letter further states that the responsibility for conducting a disciplinary inquiry into the matter from a Sasana perspective and determining whether the Venerable Thero should be disrobed or permitted to retain his Buddhist monk robes rests with the Sangha Sabha.
Accordingly, the Chief Secretary of the Kotte Sangha Sabha, Venerable Dr. Kotapitiye Rahula Anunayake Thero, has requested the Commissioner General of Prisons not to remove the Venerable Thero’s robes and to allow him to appear in court wearing them.
