Sadu, sadu, sadu!

Friday 28th January, 2022

Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera has said he will not re-enter Parliament after serving the current term. Speaking at a public event in Moneragala on Wednesday, he said he would devote his time and energy to social work without engaging in power politics thereafter, and he would be able to do much more for the people as a social worker. Age, experience, setbacks, internal disputes of his party, Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya (AJBP) and reality seem to have had a sobering effect on the firebrand monk. Other Buddhist monks who entered Parliament with him in 2004 became disillusioned with politics much earlier. Some of them failed in their re-election bids while others gave up politics altogether after serving the first term, and realising that religion and politics did not mix.

It was a huge mistake for Buddhist monks to enter Parliament. Some of them contested the 2004 general election from the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), claiming that they needed political power to ‘save the nation’, but it is doubtful whether any intelligent person bought into their claim. Many people, however, voted for the JHU as they were fed up with the UNP and the SLFP and therefore wanted to give vent to their anger.

By entering Parliament, those monks unwittingly gave the impression to the public that they considered the MPs to be better able to serve the people than the member of the Maha Sangha. The presence of Buddhist monks in Parliament, which is full of political dregs, also led to the desecration of the sacred saffron robe. Some of the ‘MP monks’ even suffered blows at the hands of their unruly lay counterparts during brawls in the House and had to be hospitalised.

Following the last general election, there was a clash in the AJBP between two groups supporting Ven. Rathana and Ven. Galaboda Atte Gnanasara over the party’s National List slot; it caused an affront to the dignity of the Maha Sangha. Strangely, the Mahanayake Theras did not care to intervene to knock some sense into the warring monks although they give lay politicians unsolicited advice and even tell the latter how to run political parties and the country.

Unfortunately, in 2004, the JHU monks did not realise that some crafty laymen thirsting for power were using the Maha Sangha to compass their political ends. They used the JHU as a stepping stone. The Buddhist monks should have known better. They would have been able to influence state policies and safeguard the interests of the voiceless far more effectively without getting involved in dirty politics. Ven. Rathana says he will do so after leaving partisan politics. If only he had realised this in 2004, and acted accordingly.

In 2014/15, another group of politicians used Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera to achieve their political goals. People reposed their trust in the outspoken monk, who fought for their rights, and the wily politicians succeeded in capturing power. Maithripala Sirisena became the President and Ranil Wickremesinghe the Prime Minister.

Ven. Sobitha was utterly disappointed with the yahapalana politicians at the time of his demise, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Politicians do not scruple to use even the Mahanayake Theras. It is not out of any love for them that political leaders often visit temples; they do so to attract media attention.

One’s gorge rises when one sees Buddhist monks at political events. We have some Buddhist temples doubling up as political offices and promoting divisive politics.

Now that Ven. Rathana has wised up to the fact that it is infra dig for him to hold political office and he could do much more for the people without holding political office, it is hoped that other Buddhist monks will also try to rise above dirty politics.