'I undertake the precept to abstain from false speech,' our Venerable Sir.. - Minister Sunil Watagala

Balangoda Kassapa Thero, who was granted bail, participated in a press conference yesterday and stated that Tilvin Silva had sent a message asking him to surrender during his imprisonment. Today, journalists questioned Minister Sunil Watagala whether this statement was true. His answer was as follows.

"Even the stanza "Musavada Veramani Sikkhapadam Samadiyami" (I undertake the precept to abstain from false speech) is taught to us by venerable monks."

So, the Venerable Kassapa Thero knows very well that this is an absolute lie. His conscience knows it.

And my conscience also knows it. I have never met him. I have never spoken to him, not even through a coordinator.

Therefore, I declare at this moment that this is a complete and utter falsehood. I don't know what he hopes to achieve by making such false statements.

I was reminded of a statement made by the President at one point. He said that some people go past Anuradhapura to Jaffna to observe precepts. Just like that, there is some hidden motive behind these things too.

It's an ulterior motive. Therefore, we tell him that by making such false statements, he will never be able to achieve that ulterior motive he hopes for. Because I declare at this moment that I have never been involved in such activities.

Now, wasn't he asked to come to the Presidential Secretariat too?

"No, that's the thing, I'm the one who should ask him to come to the Secretariat. As he claims, I have never even spoken to him on a phone call. Nor have I ever addressed him through someone else. So, it was in such a context that he issued such a statement yesterday. I heard it too.

But now he made accusations, didn't he? Do you know any information regarding this? What's really happening? 

So, I am now saying that this statement is false. In response, he can state with dates and times, 'Here are the times when such a statement was made.' But his conscience, as well as my conscience, knows, we both know very well,

that such a conversation never took place."