Watching the internal squabbles within political parties and the jockeying for positions ahead of an impending Presidential election, a firebrand Buddhist monk lashed out in all his fury calling on all communities in the country to shun what he called pariahs or outcasts.
Head priest of the historic Mihinthale Dhammarathana Thero did not name any politician but singled out all major parties in the country including the entities supporting the government and opposition saying they will even govern from their graves and rip off the people.
“What we have in our country today is a set of Political outcasts (pariahs) running the country while the others are waiting for the election to scrounge on the people’s votes.
“They will do anything to further their grip on power and even bring back dead political leaders to regain power and greed”, said Dharmarathana Thero at a Press Conference.
He hit out at the country’s political dynasties for the economic turmoil, political instability and a breakdown in values as reasons for the country plummeting into bankruptcy and depending on foreign loans.
“These greedy hogs will go into extremes to satisfy their greed and they will jockey for position from their graves or with walking sticks pretending to be saviours of the people.
“They pass on power from father to son and mother to daughter,” the Thero said holding back nothing.
His remarks were also directed at the second oldest political party in the country the Sri Lanka Freedom Party currently locked in a leadership struggle and its current the embattled former President Maitripala Sirisena fleeing the mess on an an overseas tour.
Sirisena left the country after another former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, the daughter of ex-Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayake cashed in with a court order and took charge of the party founded by her father.
“Be careful of these people who will wear a mask and come to you (for votes) at an election and be prepared not to be fooled.
“Think about your children and those yet to be born. They are all here to enrich themselves,” the prelate declared.
