"We were arrested because of 'Budunge Rasthiyaduwa' book -- distributed false PDF copies -- Malwatta Asgiri Thero has spoken and scared booksellers"

"We were arrested because of 'Budunge Rasthiyaduwa' book -- distributed false PDF copies -- Malwatta Asgiri Thero has spoken and scared booksellers"

A media briefing under the topic 'Freedom of the Arts against outrage of censorship' in relation to censoring artistic creations by the incumbent government was held in Colombo on the 23rd. 

Publisher of the publication 'Budunge rasthiyaduwa' of K.K. Shrinath of the publisher was Upul Shantha Sannasgala was subjected to censorship and this is what the latter said about it: "I am the printer of the book 'Budunge rasthiyaduwa' and I am also the distributor. When we were about to launch the book this afternoon, Mirihana police came and took us into custody. A letter was forwarded at that moment and it was from Kamal Jayasingha of Buddhist Information Centre. This
had been sent to inspector general of police and to deputy inspector general of police. Thus we were taken into custody this way and taken to Mirihana police station. Everything including 500 books were taken and the police were ready to take us to courts and relevant documents had been prepared. But we made a big struggle and we managed to free ourselves from there. Later we had the celebration. After that when the book was given to sales outlets like booksellers, this book was not available with them. That group who calls themselves Buddhists had been producing a pdf from the book ... not the one that is typeset ... they scan the book and include a false preface. In that they adorn the neck of a small child with a cross. After that they publicise that pdf. Next they telephone bookshops and threaten them. It was Malwatta and Asgiri Nayaka Theros who had spoken to some bookshops and they were shocked. 

Now there is someone called a Cultural Minister ... he has also written songs; has produced a CD and has even produced a film. That means a person who has made an effort to become an artiste. His name is Wijedasa Rajapaksa. We have a question as to whether this minister is culturalistic. We are taught that proof is not subjected even to gods. Groups of devotees are involved in censoring the Arts. If that is so, we are living in a tribal society. What we say is to have a dialogue ... criticise and go through it ... but that censorship has no meaning. Buddhists think that 'pansiya panas jathakaya' is a verbal teaching of Lord Buddha. But in literature it is modified and amended for useage. There is a right of that sort for authors".