Legal action against Sepala Amarasinghe for insulting Dalada Maligawa: Minister

Legal Action will be taken against Sepala Amarasinghe who had insulted the sacred tooth relic at Dalada Maligawa calling it a ‘Labba’,Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapaksha told Parliament today.

Minster Rajapaksha gave this assurance when the government and opposition members raised the issue in the House, calling for action against Amarasinghe who has been identified as a radical free thinker.

“ Amarasinghe is identified as a radical free thinker who does not follow any religion. It is his right to follow a religion or not. However he does not have the right to insult a belief of those who follow a religion. Therefore we will take legal action against this person,” he said.

MP Wimal Weerawasna said Amarasinghe has been insulting Buddhism over social media several times. “ Amarasinghe is a radical free thinker. He insults those who follow Buddhism. He had called the sacred tooth relic as’ Labba’. This kind of behaviour cannot be allowed,” he said.

JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka cannot afford another religious clash. “We have had a long civil war and cannot afford another blood bath. Therefore these matters have to be resolved in an amicable manner," he said. 

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said this person is identified as a member of Aragalaya while the allegation that he was a head of a state institution during the tenure of Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is totally false.

State Minister Diana Gamage said  the real objective of putting hate speech over social media is a tactic to win asylum abroad. “ Sepala Amarasinghe should not be allowed to leave the country,” she said.(Yohan Perera)