Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has a close relationship with Gnanasara Thera Otherwise, he did not appoint him as the head of the Task Force, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Dilantha Withanage said to the Colombo based media.
I remember some assumed that the Defence Secretary had formed the BBS. Of course, today it’s obvious that Ven. Gnanasara Thera and the president have a close relationship. Otherwise, he did not appoint him as the head of the Task Force.
The government may have used the BBS concepts and other things for their benefit. But the perception of the people and what is being promoted by many elements in this country is that the BBS was involved. Of course Ven. Gnanasara Thera had made some speeches as a result of which some people may feel the BBS was involved the Digana and Aluthgama incidents. People can feel that the politicians are behind such events.
When there is an attack on a Muslim shop or mosque everyone assumed BBS did it. Even we were wondering who was doing this. I believe that the Rajapaksa regime and some ministers of that time were afraid of the rise of the BBS and that they will lose their status in the society. I believe there were conspiracies to create those problems and put the blame on us.
BBS is very popular in abroad, mostly people from South Korea gave funds. Rumours about Norway funding us were fabricated by Wimal Weerawansa. He said I was a Norway agent. Of course, I had some links with Norway. They wanted to fund my ‘Sithamu’ programme. But because of my involvement with BBS they stopped funding, he further said.
