Asgiriya Chapter Mahanayake the Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera has requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take steps to stop the print media from publishing pictures of the Buddha.

During a meeting with the President last morning at the Asgiriya Temple, the prelate said that papers bearing the images of the Buddha were unintentionally used by traders to wrap various consumer items including meat, fish and dried fish, but it amounted to an act of sacrilege.

The Mahanayake Thera who handed over to the President a memorandum received from the public in this regard and stressed on the need to  prevent such acts. President Rajapaksa who accepted the petition promised to look into the issue. (J.A.L. Jayasinghe and Shane Seneviratne)