Asgiri Chapter

Leaders of the United National Front (UNF) decided to hand over the policy statement of the newly formed alliance to the Chief Priests of the Malwatte and Asgiri Chapters in Kandy on Saturday (14).

Chief Priest of the Asgiri Chapter, Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero had given an appointment at 9.30 a.m. to meet the UNF leaders. However, a few days prior to the UNF leaders’ visit to Kandy, a representative of the Chief Priest had called and informed the leaders that the appointment time had been brought forward to 8.30 a.m. as the priest had to leave the temple for another engagement.

Another call was made by the Asgiri temple 24 hours before the scheduled meeting time asking the UNF leaders to meet with the Chief Priest at 7.30 a.m.

The UNF leaders keen to hand over their policy document to the chief priest of the Asgiri Chapter had arrived in the temple on time. However, the priests at the temple had informed the UNF leaders that the Chief Priest had left the temple at 6 a.m., before the 7.30 a.m. appointment with the alliance leaders, and had asked the priests at the temple to accept the policy document from the UNF leaders.

Lanka News Web learns that the Asgiri Chapter Chief Priest had met with the monk murdering dictator from Myanmar Than Shwe at the President’s House in Kandy the day before. The customary practice is for state leaders to visit the Chief Priests in Kandy. However, in this instance, the Chief Priests had to visit the state head at the President’s House in Kandy.

It is indeed a great disgrace for all Buddhists in the country to have had the Chief Priests visit the military junta leader who has been punished in his country by the monks by issuing a sangha decree against him.

It is the Asgiri Chapter that is also threatening to issue a sangha decree against General Sarath Fonseka to prevent him from entering politics.

The Chief Priest of the Asgiri Chapter may have stayed away from meeting with the UNF leaders in order to show his gratitude towards the President for gifting him with first class air fare to Singapore for medical treatment at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital, the helicopter ride from Colombo to Katunayake for each trip to Singapore and the all expenses paid luxury Benz car for the priest’s personal use.

The question however is on whether the Chief Priest of the Asgiri Chapter had any principle when he met with the military dictator who has been issued with a sangha decree.