Use of places of religious worship for political propaganda
Saturday, June 20, 2015
'Lawyers for Democracy' yesterday condemned the use of places of religious worship for political activities in the guise of religious ceremonies.
Issuing a statement, Lawyers for Democracy stated: "This amounts to violation of the fundamental right to practice one's religion freely, without obstructions either physical or mental. The use of places of religious worship for political activities has taken a serious tern as even the Sri Dalada Maligawa which is the holiest place of worship for Buddhists all over the world is being used by disgruntled politicians for propaganda purposes in the name of holding a pooja.
The walls of Kandy are pasted with posters with prominent pictures of the former president with slogans. It is for the first time that we have seen banners with pictures of the former president with greetings for him to be back in power on the outskirts of Sri Dalada Maligawa.
We condemn the use of places of religious worship for political propaganda and call upon those disgruntled politicians to face the people at a political level and not to interfere with the free use of places of religious worship without any political, class, caste, or ethnic or any other consideration. This development goes to show the depths to which our politicians have sunk."
