Sajith Premadasa Pledges to Protect Buddhism While Defending the Religious Rights of All Communities

Premadasa made these remarks while attending a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for an Atavisi Buddha shrine and a Bodhi enclosure with a golden railing at Siri Wijitharamaya Temple in Kotalawelapura, Ratmalana.

The event also marked the 91st birthday of his mother, Hema Premadasa. On the occasion, the Opposition Leader donated Rs. 1.4 million towards the construction of the Bodhi enclosure and a further Rs. 400,000 for other development activities at the temple.

Premadasa said the SJB would not abandon its principles and would stand up whenever Buddhism, the Buddha Sasana or Buddhist monks faced harm.

He cited several instances in which the party had supported the rights of different religious communities, including the controversy over the burial and cremation of members of the Muslim community during the COVID-19 pandemic, a dispute concerning nurses' uniforms at the Kalmunai Hospital, calls for Anojan's release and support for people affected by the Easter Sunday attacks.

He said the party's commitment to treating everyone equally was sometimes misunderstood.

Protecting Buddhism Is a Responsibility of the State

Premadasa said that, as a practising Buddhist, he believed in safeguarding and promoting Buddhism without using religion as a tool for political advantage.

He stressed that religion should be strengthened, revitalised and protected rather than exploited to secure political benefits.

Referring to Sri Lanka's Constitution, he said Buddhism had been accorded the foremost place and that the state had a responsibility to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana while safeguarding the rights of other religions and communities.

He maintained that the constitutional recognition given to Buddhism should go hand in hand with protecting the religious freedoms of other communities.

Premadasa Recalls His Father's Contributions to Religious Affairs

The Opposition Leader also referred to the period of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, saying that steps had been taken during his father's administration to strengthen state support for Buddhism and other religions.

He said a Cabinet-level ministry for Buddhist affairs and a Buddhist Sasana Fund had been established, while programmes had supported temples, Sunday Dhamma schools, pirivenas and Sasana protection committees.

According to Premadasa, these initiatives helped support 14,129 temples, 10,347 Dhamma schools, 824 pirivenas and 327 Sasana protection committee divisions. He said similar support mechanisms had also been extended to other religious communities.

He argued that the system should be strengthened again, including through a Cabinet-level ministry for Buddhist affairs and separate state ministries for other religions and communities, to promote cooperation and mutual understanding.

Calls for an End to Religious and Ethnic Discrimination

Premadasa warned against religious extremism, racism and divisions between communities, saying there should be no room for discrimination based on ethnicity or religion.

He said the SJB remained committed to this principle and had opposed incidents involving interference with the robes of Buddhist monks.

He further argued that laypeople should not take decisions concerning Buddhist monks outside the proper legal and judicial processes, stressing that such matters should be resolved through established procedures.

Premadasa reiterated that protecting Buddhism and respecting the rights of other religious communities should remain complementary responsibilities, rather than causes of division.