Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader and Member of Parliament Mano Ganesan has strongly criticised senior Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) member Lakshman Kiriella over remarks reportedly made during a meeting with the Mahanayake Thero of the Malwathu Chapter in Kandy, describing them as inappropriate and divisive
In a news release issued by his office, Ganesan said Kiriella’s reported suggestion that the government was using the issue involving Venerable Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero to appease Tamil-speaking communities and others outside the Sinhala Buddhist community was unacceptable.
Ganesan also expressed dissatisfaction with the use of outdated terminology to distinguish minority communities from the majority, arguing that such language was divisive and undermined the dignity of Tamil and Muslim citizens.
He said Sri Lanka had moved beyond such terminology and stressed that Tamil and Muslim communities were integral members of the country’s pluralistic society and fellow citizens.
Calls for Responsible Handling of Gnanasara Thero Issue
Ganesan said the legal issues surrounding the imprisonment of Venerable Gnanasara Thero should be handled in accordance with the law, without allowing the matter to become a source of division among communities.
He noted that the previous presidential pardon granted to the monk had reportedly been found to contain legal deficiencies. Ganesan said he would not oppose President Anura Kumara Dissanayake granting a new pardon, provided the identified shortcomings were rectified and the decision was made lawfully after proper consideration.
“I would respect such action in principle, provided it is carried out properly within the limits of the law,” Ganesan said in his letter to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.
He also referred to the recent controversy surrounding the clothing worn by Gnanasara Thero while in prison.
According to Ganesan, a committee appointed to examine the matter is expected to submit proposals within two weeks on possible amendments to the laws and regulations governing the clothing worn by prisoners in state prisons.
He said the matter should be resolved through the established legal and administrative process.
Letter to Sajith Premadasa
Ganesan said he had conveyed his concerns directly to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and in a written letter addressed to him in his capacity as the leader of the SJB and the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya (SJS).
While acknowledging the SJB delegation’s meeting with the Mahanayake Thero, Ganesan said he was deeply concerned and disappointed by the remarks attributed to Kiriella.
He emphasised that differing political opinions on the legal proceedings involving Gnanasara Thero could not justify language that marginalised or insulted Tamil and Muslim citizens.
Ganesan further said he had already appealed to Tamil-speaking Sri Lankans to refrain from making public comments on the controversy while the relevant procedures were underway.
He warned that reviving divisive language from the past could undermine efforts to build a more inclusive democratic society.
“The democratic future of Sri Lanka depends on our ability to address controversial issues collectively, without reviving the divisive language of the past,” Ganesan stated in his letter.
He expressed hope that his concerns would be understood in the constructive spirit in which they were raised and urged that the issue be handled with due regard for the dignity of all communities.
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