30 Year Old Dambulla Badhrakaali Amman Kovil Completely Demolished Last Night

October 29, 2013 |

Dambulla Badhrakaali Amman Kovil has been completely demolished last night raises question about the safety of Badhra kaali amman temples in the southern Sri Lanka, says Dr.N Kumar Guruparan,Western Provincial Councillor and the Deputy Leader of Democratic Peoples’ Front and Spokesman for the Hindu Front.

Bhadrakali Mata Statue /File photo

Issuing a statement he says; “It’s with deep shock & sorrow I record here that theDambulla Badhrakaali Amman Kovil (Temple) has been demolished yesterday  razed to the grounds ,which raises question about the safety of Bathra kaali amman temples in the southern Sri Lanka. I was shocked to hear when my good friend Hon Parliamentarian R .Yogarajan conveyed the sad news.We both in our own individual  capacity appealed to His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa him to act immediately to stop a 30 year old kovil in Dambulla being shifted.

We both in our individual capacity  appealed to His Excellency for the safety of this temple right from the beginning  of a buddhists’ chauvnistic  group started attack on this temple and moors mosque in the city of Dambulle, Dr.N Kumar Guruparan said.

He said; “It’s only a couple of days back I appealed to the President,through English media and Hon Yogarajan took up this matter to the notice of the Preident ‘that President need to take steps to safeguard the Badhrakaali Amman Kovil  in Dambulla. If things are going out of hands in spite of our appeal are we to find alternatives to appeal and bring pressure hence bring this to the notice of the High Commission of India now after the complete demolition by the civvies forces.

Unfortunate is that according to the trustee ‘Lechhumi ammah’ it was government forces went along in civvies with the well known Buddhist monk requested them to remove the temple from the historically in habited tamil area imediately  if not to face the consequences but trustees requested time till Wednesday for the religious rites to take place to close down the temple. without waiting they have demolished.Now fores have embarked on building  a fountain ammah’s relation told  me  in the evening now; Satue the deity is lying in  the trustees residence. There is a group of Buddhist fundamentalists eager to change the history of tamils and Hindus’ and Muslims’ in Dambulla to bring down the  prominent life pan of history demolishing the temple and Mosque in prominent palace.This issue and deliberate attack on Badrakaali amman temple  is still continuing, the deity’s statue was smashed and thrown in to the well not even a month back. Guruparan said the trident in the premises had been used to remove the roofing.”

UPFA politicos in bloody clash Chairman, his deputy in hospital

by Lalith Chaminda-October 28, 2013, 9:55 pm 
Galle Correspondent

 A heated verbal exchange that led to a physical clash between the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Bentota Pradeshiya Sabha, yesterday during its Finance Committee meeting left both combatants bloodied.

Deputy Chairman Ranjan Srilal Wickramasinghe, who was initially taken to the Bentota Hospital, was later transferred to the Neboda Hospital with injuries to his mouth with at least one tooth broken.

Shocked officials and area residents, who had come to the PS to get various matters attended to, watched in horror as the two UPFA heavyweights exchanged accusations at the top of their voices, followed by blows.

Wickramasinghe, when queried by The Island about the clash, said: "While I was attending the Finance Committee meeting, Chairman Gayan Sirimanne assaulted me asking why I was scolding his people. One of my teeth broke in that assault"

"I was taking part in the finance committee meeting at about 10:15 a.m. when this happened. One tooth broke and another has got damaged. My body is also aching after the assault," he said from his hospital bed.

The Deputy Chairman said the dispute had been over burnt street lights in his area not being replaced. However much he complained about it, a henchman of the Chairman there was preventing the replacement of bulbs.

That person who was a casual labourer had been promoted as a supervisor by the Chairman, Wickramasinghe added.

When Chairman Sirimanne was questioned in this regard, he claimed that there had been no assault, but an argument. The Deputy Chairman had scolded a worker in bad language. "So, I told the Deputy Chairman not to talk to workers in that manner as they, too, have some self respect, but Wickremesinghe reacted badly and scolded me as well, but I got up and told him not to talk that way. Then he attacked me with the Sabha seal franking equipment. In self-defence I moved to avoid the blow and in the process the Deputy Chairman fell. I tried to hit him after he fell, but PS employees intervened and separated us.

The Chairman said he was receiving treatment at the Balapitiya hospital.