“If the government is saying that it is okay to go ahead with the killing of these animals, simply because the Kapilawasthu Relics are no longer in the country, we cannot agree with it because there are hundreds of sacred Buddha relics in temples all around the country,” he said.

Speaking further Sri Warnasinha said under such circumstances how the government could allow the Munneshwaram animal sacrifice to take place when the sacred Tooth Relic was being kept in the Kandy Dalada Maligawa. He also said the JHU was awaiting the court order expected on September 11 and hoped it would not be in favour of the animal sacrifice.

He also suggested that if the priests of the Munneshwaram kovil decided to go ahead with the animal sacrifice with the help of the government claiming that the sacrifice would invoke blessings on the nation, the animal sacrifice be telecast live on television so that then the whole country could participate in the ritual.

“Animal sacrifices cannot be accepted in the name of religious culture or freedom. And it is against both Buddhism and Hinduism. However if the Court decision is also in favour of the Kovil, we will bring an act in parliament to ban animal sacrifices,” Warnasinha said.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka