The leader of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) said on Tuesday that the violence in Aluthgama and the surrounding towns could have been scripted.
“When we analyse the facts one by one, we realise that the Aluthgama incident may be a scripted drama. We cannot imagine whether it was a drama of the Government or the Opposition. There was a peaceful atmosphere in Aluthgama and this was the first time such a clash occurred even after several incidents were reported," BBS General Secretary Galagoda Gnanasara said at a news conference.
"Even when a Buddhist monk was assaulted, no clash was erupted other than he made a complaint to the police. We intervened and prevented when a clash was going to occur. But no organisation or any one praised us for that.”
Gnanasara said that the BBS held a rally the day the violence erupted in order to “educate people” and prevent clashes.
“We learnt that people were organising with arms for a clash and we thought it was not good for the country if a clash erupted. So we as Buddhist monks acted to organise a convention to educate the people about the incident and disperse them peacefully. That was the only thing we could do at that time and that is what happened in history also in such a situation. And some armed people attacked them when they were dispersing peacefully. That is why the clash erupted,” he said.