Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera will not be produced before court on Friday, the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs has said — while the sit-in demanding his release entered its eighth day in Colombo.
Commissioner General R.M.G. Senaratne said the monk would not be produced on the 23rd, following a notification that his appearance was not required, Hiru News reported. He said he had conveyed this to the Mahanayake of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha.
The Department of Prisons said separately that the court had informed it that producing the monk on Friday was not necessary. The case — over an alleged statement insulting Islam — was due to be taken up before the Colombo High Court the same day.
The robe question
On Tuesday the 20th, Buddhasasana Minister Hinidum Sunil Senevi said steps would be taken to return Gnanasara’s robe to him on the next court date.
Petitions seeking an order invalidating the prison authorities’ decision to remove the robe are to be recalled before the Court of Appeal on the 18th of next month.
Eighth day at the park
The satyagraha by monks and others at Viharamahadevi Park continued for an eighth day on Friday, Hiru reported separately. Police arrived on Thursday night and told those taking part to refrain from remaining at the site, acting on a court order obtained by Kurunduwatta Police. Hiru described the scene at that point as tense.
NewsFirst, which names the station by its English designation Cinnamon Gardens Police, reported that the order was read out to the group and that the monks and others continue to remain at the park. It describes Gnanasara as serving a prison sentence for contempt of court.
Attorney Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, filed a complaint with Kurunduwatta Police stating that some of those taking part in the satyagraha had been arrested.
This follows Thursday’s reading of the vacate order, after which police withdrew without removing anyone, and the sixth-day protest and Asgiri intervention earlier in the week.
