Sri Lanka, Oct. 11 -- Only Buddhist monks have the authority to remove the robes of a fellow monk, Most Venerable Ittapana Dhammalankara Mahanayake Thera of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha said today.

He made these remarks when Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa visited him today (10).

The Mahanayake Thera said Sri Lanka had historically been a Buddhist country and that protecting Buddhism was a responsibility and a duty.

He said a letter had been sent to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake regarding the matter and that a further date had been requested for a meeting with the President.

Referring to the monk at the centre of the controversy, he said the monk was a member of the Kotte Sangha Sabha, an eloquent sp...