Sri Lanka, Oct. 9 -- UNP Gerneral Secretary and former Justice and Prison Reforms Minister Thalatha Athukorala said she never ordered that Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera be made to remove his robes during his first term of imprisonment and that the matter rested with prison officials.

She said she was the Prisons Minister when the monk was first jailed. She said she would never order a monk to remove his robes and change into civilian clothes out of hatred.

That, she said, was a matter for prison officials. Athukorala added that the Thera remained in his robes while in custody.

Speaking at a press conference she said the then government never once contacted the CID to ask why a particular person was not being arrested. She said fo...