JHU heavyweight Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka yesterday said that he would take a decision on his future course of action after meeting several associates on Tuesday night. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Asapuwa.
Vowing not to quit his Parlaimentary seat over the ongoing dispute, the Ven. thera emphasised that he would not abandon his efforts to clear the party of undesirable elements.
"But I will not give up my seat. That is probably what my opponents want," the thera told The Island yesterday, expressing the belief they (MP monks) should not allow lay members to dictate terms. "This is my demand and I’ll stick by it."
Answering questions, he said, he wanted to resolve the crisis over the role of the lay members today (Wednesday). "Otherwise, I have no option but to bare what I planned to reveal two weeks ago."
Ven. Dhammaloka called a press briefing on October 20 but did not reveal what he promised to but pledged to go on the offensive unless his demand was met.
He is of the view that it was better to side with the UPFA or the UNF without allowing Sihala Urumaya elements to run the show.
The party faces a split as the clash intensifies with the main antagonists, Ven. Dhammaloka and Ven. Athureliya Rathana pulling in different directions.
Ven. Dhammaloka thera said that he reluctantly agreed to delay his action on the promise that an effort would be made to neutralise trouble makers. He said that he wanted to clear the party of all undesirable elements by November 4. Otherwise, he would make what political sources termed the delayed revelations on a certain section.
Ven. Dhammaloka thera, a key member of the Supreme Council, who himself was accused of misconduct by his opponents within the party, had raised several contentious issues with the relevant parties. Among the issues was the financial integrity of a key lay member of the JHU, the sources said.
According to sources, Ven. Ratana was among several others who had warned Ven. Dhammaloka that his actions would destroy what they build with great difficulty.They had also emphasised that it was not fair to get rid of Sihala Urumaya activists as they too laboured for their success. Ven. Ratana, the sources said, had personally pleaded with his colleague to re-consider his action as it would be detrimental to their efforts. But Ven. Dhammaloka thera had dismissed their arguments, stressing that whatever the outcome of his future course of action, he would not hesitate to go public unless the Sihala Urumaya activists fade away.
Ven. Dhammaloka said that he would not runaway. "That was exactly what my adversaries want. Then they would be able to fill my vacancy with a monk who would be agreeable to the Sihala Urumaya strategy."
"I would not do what my colleague Ven. Sumangala did. Sumangala who vehemently opposed the Sihala Urumaya’s hold on the party recently resigned his Parliamentary seat and also quit the party. They thought I would leave before Ven. Sumangala. They are wrong," he said.
