Sri Lanka, Oct. 9 -- Removing the robes of Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera to produce him in court drew strong opposition, as disrespecting a monk's robes while enforcing the law cannot be justified.

The 'Rata Rakina Parapura' organisation expressed this stance in a media release, clarifying that while court rulings must be executed under the law and Gnanasara Thera is not above the law, state institutions cannot receive unlimited power to insult a monk's robes.

The organisation requested an immediate public explanation regarding the full legal and administrative basis behind the decision to remove the robes.

A clear procedure governing how prisons and state institutions handle Buddhist monks must be published to prevent simi...