Colombo, February 21 A segment of the influential Buddhist clergy in Sri Lanka has criticized the government over what they termed an "organized campaign being run by vested interests to defame Buddhism," the majority religion, and its monks.
Issuing a 10-point ultimatum, the monks said the status of Buddhism and monks was being "politically undermined" and called for urgent government attention.
Addressing a gathering, leading monk Muruththettuwe Ananda said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had called him to persuade him from proceeding with the protest, attended by monks from all provinces.
"He asked me to come and talk to him and to stop this," Ananda said.
Article 9 of the country's constitution warrants the head of state and the government to promote Buddhism, the religion of 74% of the population, while preserving the rights of other religions.
The monks claimed that "organized social media campaigns are being run by vested interests and the government needs to pay attention to it".
"We urge the government to stop it," Ven Kotapola Rathanapala, another leading monk, said.
Over the last year, some politicians have been openly critical of the monks.
Several monks were arrested in the eastern district of Trincomalee for violating coastal conservation laws in trying to set up makeshift places of worship.
They charged that local ruling party leaders were behind the arrests of the monks.
The gathering highlighted that the government had ignored the Buddhist Affairs ministry when appointing ministers, which was usually held by all previous presidents.
The monks who visit the Buddhist Affairs Department have found that as a result, no official directions are being given to solve their issues.