Chief Prelate of the Mihintale Raja Maha Vihara, Venerable Walahagunawewa Dhammarathana Thera has told Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa that he and all other politicians are responsible for the country’s predicament.

“The members representing the parliament want to stir up racism and bigotry in this country. We were a group of people who lived in harmony and unity, said the thera when Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa visited the Prelate at the Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya.

“All politicians including you are at fault for the country’s predicament,” the thera said when Premadasa visited the Prelate at the temple.

“No one can raise their heads under this situation. It is a question of who is responsible for the country. The country does not have medicines or fertilizer. No one takes responsibility for the deaths of people who use substandard medicines. The things we bought four years ago cannot even be reached. The fuel prices are high, and the prices of chicken and eggs have also skyrocketed. I wonder how much the prices will increase by 2030,” he said.

Ven. Dhammarathana Thera accused that all things in the country have been ruined by the Members of Parliament, including the Opposition Leader.

“People selected those like you to Parliament. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the parliamentarians to look after the people. Politicians live off people’s taxes.

“Many parliamentarians own bars and fuel refilling stations. Mihintale was the only town in the country where there were no liquor bars or butcher shops, and it was a record. That record was broken by this government. There was no butcher shop at a distance of 10 kilometres from the town. But now permission has been given for a beer bar that belongs to a State Minister in front of the Rajarata University.

“There are parliamentarians who are between 80 and 90 years old. Parliament is now like an elders’ home.

“We reject these rulers. Therefore, there should be a General Election or a Presidential election to elect new politicians who can think creatively. People should elect those under 60 years of age to Parliament,” the Thera said. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)