Don’t make Colombo a Chicago or a Bangkok: NSC

22 April 2014 03:04 pm Views - 7583

National Sangha Council (NSC) while protesting against the new casino bill which was to be presented in Parliament this week today urged the Government not to make Colombo a Chicago or a Bangkok city.

The NSC Financial Secretary Wattegedara Vijitha Thera said if President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a true Buddhist who loved Buddhism, he must take steps to stop these activities which were detrimental to the country.

“If the president is a true Buddhist who loves Buddhism, he must take steps to stop these activities. We strongly object to these activities. Do not make this a Chicago or a Bangkok city. This is not anyone’s private property,” the Thera said.

Ven. Vijitha Thera asked the Government to prove if casinos were not established through the three gazette notifications which are to be presented in Parliament this week.

“The Government had to retract the two gazette notifications on a previous occasion due to protests by the Maha Sangha and civil organisations. But it is going to present three gazette notifications instead of the earlier two by changing some wordings. We challenge the Government to prove if casinos will not be established through these gazette notifications. If so we have no objections to this,” Ven. Vijitha Thera said. ( Ajith Siriwardana)