A Contempt of Court action filed against Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera for violating a court order was yesterday re-fixed for support on June 1 by the Court of Appeal.
The court order was regarding the cremation of the late Gurukanda Raja Maha Vihara chief monk’s body in a kovil compound in Mullaitivu.
The Court of Appeal made this order pursuant to a fresh Contempt of Court action filed by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian Shanthi Sriskandaraja.
The Court of Appeal had earlier ordered to release Senior Superintendent of Police and Chief Inspector of Police of the Mullaitivu Police from this application following the complainant’s decision not to proceed against them.
The petitioner has sought an order to issue a rule on the Respondent, directing them to show cause as to why they should not be punished for Contempt of Court for violating the Mullaitivu Magistrate’s Court order preventing the cremation of the body of the late chief incumbent of the Gurukanda Raja Maha Vihara in Mullaithivu on a disputed property.
The petitioner maintained that the Buddhist temple known as the Gurukanda Raja Maha Vihara had been forcibly constructed between 2004 and 2009, when no civilian was permitted to go into that area which is within the precincts of the already existing Hindu temple.
Following the death of the chief priest of the Gurukanda Raja Maha Viharaya, the Mullaitivu police filed a report in the Magistrate’s Court stating that in the event that the late chief priest’s body was brought to the land that is in dispute, it would result in a breach of the peace in the area. Subsequently, the Mullaitivu Magistrate issued an order directing the police to ensure that the cremation was not conducted on the Hindu temple grounds.
