The Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs says false and fabricated material aimed at insulting its minister, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, is circulating on social media.
The minister’s media secretary, Gunaratne Wickramathilaka, has written to the government’s Director-General of Information setting out the complaint, Hiru News reported. The letter states that a social media activist, whom the ministry says it has identified, created the material and released it online.
What the ministry disputes
The ministry says several baseless claims are in circulation suggesting that the current minister has shown disrespect towards the Buddha Sasana or towards Buddhist property.
It said it was declaring, responsibly, that all of the information being spread on social media is completely false, and that steps would be taken to pursue legal action against people who deliberately spread such claims.
On naming
The report says the activist has been identified, but does not publish a name, and this desk has not named anyone. Material circulating elsewhere does attach a name to the allegation; it reaches this desk only through an aggregator rather than a verified newsroom, and naming a private individual as the author of fabricated content on that basis would not be sound.
On the minister’s title
Hiru’s Sinhala copy gives his honorific as Professor. Parliament’s own register of members lists him as Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi. The two are not necessarily in conflict, but this desk has not reproduced either honorific as settled. Note also that the name is frequently rendered “Hinidum” without the final vowel, including once previously in this archive; Parliament’s register spells it Hiniduma.
Not reported
The filing does not describe the specific posts complained of, say when they appeared or on which platforms, state what action the Director-General of Information is being asked to take, or record any response from the person the ministry says it has identified. No complaint to police or court filing is mentioned.
Single verified source. A search for independent coverage on Friday returned only an aggregator repost and fact-checking write-ups; no second verified newsroom had filed on the ministry’s letter.
