Dhammarathana Thero of Mihintalaya Rajamaha Vihara has proposed that Sri Lanka should be governed according to the laws that existed before Portuguese colonization, once Sajith Premadasa becomes president. Addressing a rally in Kuliapitiya in support of Premadasa’s presidential campaign, the Thero emphasized the need to return to the legal and cultural traditions of the country’s ancient past.
He expressed frustration with the failure of successive Sinhala-Buddhist leaders to amend the Devalagam Act, which he claims has not been significantly altered since the 48th century of the Sinhala Buddhist era.
Dhammarathana Thero elaborated on the need to revive the nation’s heritage by re-establishing the legal framework that existed prior to Portuguese conquest. According to the Thero, Premadasa had agreed to the necessity of reinstating these laws to preserve the country’s identity.
“Can we even raise a flag under the ancient laws that have been in place for a hundred years? Can we put a Buddha statue in a cave without facing legal challenges?” he questioned, citing a lawsuit filed by the Department of Archaeology against the installation of a gold fence at Tanthirimale’s Ashtaphala Bodhi.
He further criticized the country’s post-colonial leadership for failing to preserve the essence of Buddhism, suggesting that the “keys to the nation’s culture and history were left behind by the colonizers, but no one has managed to unlock them.”
The Thero’s comments indicate growing religious advocacy for a return to traditional governance as part of Premadasa’s broader political agenda.
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