Showing its displeasure over the setting up a special police unit under the Religious Affairs Ministry to inquire into complaints on religious matters, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) said today the move would result in unnecessary consequences in the country.

It states that if there was a need to create a mechanism to inquire into complaints on religious matters, it should have been done through the parliament in a much more appropriate manner.

“Such impulsive moves cannot be trusted. This may ultimately lead to having several separate religious police units in the country and many other negative consequences,” JHU General Secretary and Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka told a news conference today.

He said a move by the JHU to submit a Bill connected to religious affairs in parliament was turned down. “We were discouraged by some MPs when we wanted to submit a Bill outlining a proper mechanism to address issues pertaining to religious affairs including unethical religious conversions,” he said.  

The minister said all laws should apply to all religious groups equally and not only on Buddhist monks. “The laws should apply not only to the Bodu Bala Sena or the Sihala Ravaya but even on groups like the Tauheed Jamaat and Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph,” he said. (LSP)