Sangha take on the judiciary

By Jayantha Sri Nissanka

A clash between the Maha Sangha and the Judiciary is expected to take a turn for the worse, as the Maha Sangha has planned many protests against judicial action that has been taken to remand Venerable Pannala Pannaloka thera on the sound pollution issue.
Speaking to LAKBIMAnEWS, Sharsrapathi Vitharandeniye Medhananda thera, convenor of the Buddhist National Organisa-tion said that the Maha Sangha will launch an islandwide ‘sabda pooja’ (noisy ritual) shortly. The date will be decided shortly, and the ‘sabda pooja’ will take place after 10 pm and continue till 6 am to challenge the police to arrest all the monks in the country and produce them in courts.
In addition, the Maha Sangha is expected to boycott any event where Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva participates.The Sangha fraternity has also decided that he will not be allowed to enter any temple, he noted. “There will be a series of actions with us as a Joint Buddhist Organisation, against the judicial decision taken to remand one of our priests”, Ven. Medhananda said.
“Our Mahanayakes have advised us that we need not even stand to attention when the national anthem is being played” he said. He argued that the highest authority in the country, the executive too respected the Maha Sangha and that they never stand even when the President arrives for any occasion.
“Members of the Maha Sangha do not stand even when the mace is being brought into Parliament before sessions, although this is the second highest authority in the country. If the Executive and Legislature respect us as we are the custodians of the country’s main religion, why should we stand where the Judiciary is concerned? Though we do not stand in courts due to our religious position, it does not mean that we disrespect the judiciary. Judges should understand this”, Ven. Medhananda Thera noted.
Meanwhile, in the event that there may be any untoward incidents in courts on September 15, sources said that two police buses will be kept on alert to meet any exigencies.