Bhikkhus should not seek Parliament / local Council seats and degrade themselves – Mahanayake of Asgiriya

- parties selling religion for political agendas pulverized- Will Ven .Rathane resign?

(Lanka-e-News-16.June.2012, 3.30PM) While UNP M P and Lawyer Wijedasa Rajapakse is trying to table a private member’s motion in Parliament to prohibit members of the clergy from holding seats in Parliament, those parties which are selling the religion for personal and political agendas are infuriated and agitated over the bill. However , the most venerable chief incumbent and Mahanayake of the Asgiriya chapter Buddharakita Thero highly respected by the true Buddhists said in public that Monks should not seek Parliamentary seats and not engage in politics and degrade themselves facing embarrassment and humiliation. It was specially noteworthy that the regime chief who is running the Govt. with the support of some of the Bhikkhu MPs was also present close by when the Mahanayake was stating this. The Ven Mahanayake went on to elaborate as follows: As Bhikkhus we must always bear in mind , that if we are depending on the people , we must do a service to them. If we want to do service to the country , we don’t need MP or similar posts. We don’t need ruling powers. We must administer the people . Towards this we don’t need to secure Parliamentary seats. We can do that from where we are , that is in the Temples Perhaps tomorrow , I might be blamed by many. All what I advise the Bhikkhus is not to go here and there , to Parliament and local councils and bring disrepute and insult upon themselves. The Ven. Buddharkita Thero made this discourse at the State celebration to mark the completion of 700 years since the Asgiriya Vihara was inaugurated. The Anunayake Ven. Niyangama Vijithasiri Thero of the asgiriya chapter , all the Asgiriya Nayakes and sangha council members were present on the occasion. The JVP member Thureliya Rathane Thero M P , a monk himself stated on the occasion that if the Mahanayakes say , he will resign his M P post. Wijedasa Rajapakse who is promoting this bill stated that prior to this proposal of his , he asked the opinion of the Mahanayakes of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters , and they concurred in it. The Christian clergy had earlier officially agreed with the proposal of Wijedasa Rajapakse.