by Shamindra Ferdinando

Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka thera has accused the government of trying to implicate him and some other monks in last Monday’s bid to storm the Presidential Secretariat by a group of disabled soldiers.

The monk accused State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene, Deputy Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Lasantha Alagiyawanna as well as Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi of propagating lies regarding the high profile campaign to win disabled soldiers’ long standing demand for service pension.

Addressing the media at the National Library Services and Documentation Board, on Thursday, Ven. Thera said the government could not absolve itself of responsibility for ordering police attack on the disabled.

The thera emphasized that they had provided moral support to those who risked their lives in the battle against the LTTE. The outspoken monk denied accusations that they had been pursuing political agenda along with the Joint Opposition.

The people had been shocked and disappointed by the government’s response to a justifiable protest undertaken by former servicemen, Ven. Thera said.

State Minister Wijewardene and Deputy Minister Alagiyawanna early this week alleged that some monks and the JO had caused chaos for political reasons. Alagiyawanna claimed that a gang had stormed the premises soon after the Defence Ministry and a group of representatives of the disabled soldiers’ association reached an agreement.

At the time of the alleged bid to forcibly enter presidential secretariat, the two delegations had been engaged in talks there.

Ven. Thera said that the government had obviously mixed up its priorities. While bending backwards to appease those promoting separatist sentiments, the government was targeting the military and even the disabled personnel.

Courtesy:The Island