(Lanka-e-News -19.Oct.2013, 11.00PM) The Sangha members the so called sentinels of the Buddhist faith who held a media discussion to oppose the gazette notification giving long term relief to casino moguls and the proposed legalization of gambling, which is to be tabled in Parliament on the 23 rd and 24 th , and then making a bee line to the luxury Restaurant ‘ Maharaja Palace’of the casino mogul Ravi Wijeratne for a sumptuous dhana , and thereafter each of them collecting prodigious gifts (extortion money) worth in millions from this casino ‘King’ , are now trying to return the atapirikara and gifts to the casino ‘King’ in the face of massive protests mounted in every area against their dastardly actions and despicable greed, according to reports reaching Lanka e news.
Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera
Professor Bellanwila Wimalaratne Thera
Iththepane Dhammalankara Thera
Kotugoda Dhamawasa Thera
Muruththetuwe Ananda Thera
Following the exposure of the collection of these lavish gifts most secretly and illicitly by a group of monks including the aforenamed sentinels of the Buddhist faith from Nanda Thera of a temple near the parliament , Champika Ranawake of the JHU had made inquiries via phone about this from Prof. Wimalaratne of Belanwila temple and had blamed him severely.
Though JHU is an allied party of the government, on the issue of casino it was antagonistic. Yet when the casino bill was presented in Parliament the JHU did not cast its vote with the opposition against it.
When Champika blamed Bellanwila Thera , the latter had defended himself by fastening the blame on Sobitha Thera , stating that it is the latter who forced him to attend the dhana when he wanted to desist from going. Bellanwila Thera had added that he is prepared to return to Ravi Wijeratne the atapirikara worth millions which was collected . He had also pointed with deep regret that the reputation he was safeguarding so far has been tarnished by this.
Meanwhile Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera who orchestrated this double dealing which is worse than the egregious sins committed by Devadhatthaya and Judas had gone into hiding , it is learnt. A close associate of Sobitha Thera, the organizer of this illicit extravagant gift collection (extortion) and the dhana speaking to Lanka e news revealed , since the Thera was desirous of having a Thai meal at the dhana at Maharaja palace , and casino mogul Ravi Wijeratne’s Maharaja palace serves only Indian dishes and not Thai meals , a Thai cook was specially employed and Thai meals were served to the so called Buddhist sentinels by casino King .
Banagala Upatissa Thera and Theeniyawala Palitha Thera have however by a special communication informed Lanka e news that they did not participate in the dhana at casino mogul’s restaurant or collect the gifts (extortion ) worth millions , and that they only attended the media briefing held during noon. ( Lanka e news in its report did not mention that Theeniyawala Pailtha Thera attended the dhana )
