Bodu Bala Sena says no to controversial personality

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) now converted itself into the Bodu Jana Peramuna (BJP) has denied candidacy to a controversial personality who has now joined the Jana Setha Peramuna (JSP), headed by Ven. Bellanwila Seelarathana Thera.

Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni, the Naval Rating who rifle-assaulted visiting Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on July 27, 1987 during a presidential guard of honour in Colombo, told the Sunday Observer that the BBS has changed its original policies for expediency and the benefit of the few.

“They did not give me due place as the leader of the Gampaha district and has gone against its original position of not fielding bhikkhus,” he said, alleging that the BBS dropped him like a hot potato after he spent much time and energy building the party network in the Gampaha district.

After the BBS/BJP Central Committee decided to appoint a bhikkhu to lead each district, Wijemuni was denied the leadership role he was promised. When he realised that lay people have been included as district leaders against the recent decision, Wijemuni decided to part ways and seek a party that might accommodate him.

He said that he was never popular with the BBS due to his severe criticism of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “They never liked it though I always spoke the truth.”

He added: “The party had a promising new approach to safeguard Buddhism. “At the end, it had all been a power game of a few people.”