Tense situation at Dalada Maligawa

Tense situation at Dalada Maligawa because of group demanding that colours of minorities be removed

Racial groups at various places have for sometime been talking about that the two

columns of orange colour and green colour representing minorities of the standard national flag of Sri Lanka be removed. Since the 'Sinhale' flag has been in use even during the period 1815 as a country belonging to the Sinhala community, it is their view that it is necessary that it should once again be sustained. A moment when this idea came forth into the open could be seen at the Mangul Maduwa (Assembly hall) premises last evening at Dalada Maligawa, resulting in a tense situation.

In this instance, a crowd of people comprising monks from an organisation presumed to be from Swarna Hansa Foundation brought down the national flag exhibited there and had taken steps to hoist the flag with only the Lion symbol in it. Authorities of Dalada Maligawa then took steps to notify the police about this. Accordingly the Kandy police who arrived on the scene ultimately had to get involved with the crowd of Swarna Hansa Foundation, exchanging harsh words in the process. According to their opinion, it is the flag that is being used, that is racist. They say that the flag depicting the Lion only which is not so. The Swarna Hansa Foundation urge the government to make use of the Sinhale Flag instead of the National Flag which is in existence at present in the country. According to what they say, the shades of orange and green seen in the National Flag tend to instigate racist feelings while they further mention that it was the Sinhale Flag which which was hoisted by Venerable Wariapola Sri Sumangala Thero when the 1815 Kandy Treaty was signed. They even urge the government to remove the name Torrington used for the Independence Square which in fact they say speaks of the freedom struggle of Ceylon. They had brought down this flag by going to Dalada Maligawa after coming to Kandy in a procession of motor vehicles from Colombo Torrington Square in order to commemorate 200 years which brought back to memories of the event when Ven. Wariyapola Thero engaged in that act of bravery.

The police said that when they confronted this group of persons last afternoon in order to record a statement in relation to this incident of bringing down the National Flag which was being exhibited at the Dalada Maligawa Mangul Maduwa and hoist a different flag instead, culminated in a tense situation.

It has been informed that Kandy Police are conducting inquiries regarding this incident.