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The highly respected Thera who spearheaded the campaign for the abolition of the Executive Presidency which later turned into a mass movement for a regime change is not a happy person these days, they say.

The Thera’s dream of a ‘compassionate’ administration came true. However, he feels that the government machinery does not move fast enough to bring to book, drug and ethanol kingpins and other corrupt elements that plundered public assets amounting to billions of rupees.

The Thera’s temple located in a city suburb once a hive of political and civil society activity, is now comparatively a quiet place, they say.

Reacting to a comment made by a lay friend about the emptiness of the temple premises these days, the Thera had remarked: “Some of my close friends who kept me company are too busy with the responsibilities of their new office.

Meanwhile, some other one-time close associates no longer visit me, because they are unhappy that they did not get the high office they aspired to under the present administration.”