Traditional Hindu temples in East destroyed, replaced with Buddhist Viharas: MP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 06:43 GMT]
"Sri Lanka government is systematically destructing Hindu temples in the Eastern Province and constructing Buddhist Viharas in their places and one cannot remain passive while the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinists continue to destroy Hindu temples and appropriate the traditional Tamil lands for the occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA)," S. Yogeswaran, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Batticaloa district said.

"The Lingam in the Kanguveali Sivan temple in Moothoor in Trincomalee district had been demolished while Verukal Paala Murukan temple and Verukal Kalladi village Neeliyamman temple have been destroyed and Buddhist viharas are being constructed in their places," the MP said.

"The traditional home lands and the historical places of worship of the Tamils who had been subjected to untold difficulties in the past three decades are being swallowed by Sinhala Buddhist chauvinists elements," Yogeswaran said.

"Sri Lanka government has not taken any steps to renovate the hundreds of Hindu temples in the Tamil homeland in the East and North destroyed during the war but is engaged in colonizing the Tamils' lands with Sinhala people and in building Buddhist Viharas," he added.

Yogeswaran extended an appeal to Temple authorities, Hindu organizations and associations to raise their voice against these acts of the Sri Lanka government.