The satyagraha concludes, entrusting the matter to the Chief Prelate.

The Satyagraha launched near the Buddha statue at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo has been temporarily suspended. The reason for this is the notification that the Mahanayake Theros of the three Nikayas will intervene to secure the release of Venerable Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero.

Venerable Ulapane Sumangala Thero confirmed this while speaking to the media this afternoon (25) with the monks who were engaged in the Satyagraha. 

However, the court had again ordered this group to vacate the premises on Friday (23), but due to delays in court office procedures, the signing of that order was delayed until tomorrow (26) Monday morning, which caused a delay in the order coming into effect. They remained for two more days based on that allowance, but according to the law, they were scheduled to leave tomorrow morning anyway.

This Satyagraha began after a march that started on the 16th, with the aim of protecting the Buddha Sasana. The monks and others who remained in the Viharamahadevi Park premises, demanding the release of Gnanasara Thero, continued their struggle amidst many legal challenges and also revealing hidden information that it was a political project.

Last Friday, a court hearing was held regarding this protest. The police had requested the court to remove the Satyagraha, pointing out that public and private property could be damaged and roads could be blocked, preventing people from traveling. Officials representing the Police Station OIC and the Attorney General participated, and Attorney Maithri Gunaratne, appearing for the group engaged in the Satyagraha, informed the court that no violent situation had arisen during the protest.

Although media reports suggested that the court had issued a permanent order to remove the Satyagraha, the lawyer denied this. He pointed out that after the case concluded around 3:00 PM on Friday, the magistrate took about half an hour to write the order. However, since government employees leave work around 3:30 PM, obtaining the written copy and signing the order was postponed until Monday (26). It was also reported that during this grace period until Monday, the police had decided not to intervene in the Satyagraha.

According to Attorney Maithri Gunaratne, although the issuance of the written copy was delayed, the magistrate had explained the essence of the order to the lawyers after writing it. The court had informed that if the protest was conducted peacefully, lawfully, and without damaging public property, neither the court nor anyone else had the authority to remove it. In a context where the struggle had been granted space until Monday through the judicial process, the activists today decided to temporarily end the Satyagraha and move towards a solution based on the direct intervention of the Mahanayake Theros.