The increase of electricity bills for place of religious worship has taken up strongly by the clergy, but Power and Energy Minister Kachana Wijesekara has defended the increase.
As fresh protests were held today opposite the railway station by Buddhist and Catholic priests the issue figured in Parliament with mixed reactions from the government and opposition Parliamentarians.
Some of the Opposition members pointed out that some of the temples would have to close down at night while some others are reported to have asked the ‘dayakas’ or the devotees to meet the electricity bills.
Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Ajith Mannapperuma said that there were some 500 Buddhist temples which may need relief
Cultural Minister Vidura Wickremanayake said that they were in the process of the discussing with the Power and Energy Ministry how some relief could be granted for the smaller temples which cannot afford to pay the bill.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara pointed out that if relief is granted to places of religious worship they would have to recover the losses from the public as the Treasury could not afford provide funding.
He called the opposition members to provide a viable solution which could be implemented.
He said some were already trying to make it an issue to discredit the government and making it a religious issue.
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