Hate speech: Mano Ganesan demands equal application of law for Buddhist clergy

• Questions the selective application of laws relating to hate speech
• Says Buddhist clergy and certain activists must not be allowed to enjoy impunity for their actions
• Stresses law cannot be one-sided going forward

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader Mano Ganesan, taking to Twitter yesterday called for the laws relating to hate speech to be applied equally to Buddhist clergy as it is applied to civilians and those of other religious faiths.

Directing his tweet at President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and the National People’s Party (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Ganesan expressed his concerns about the selective application of the law. The MP demanded that Buddhist clergy and certain activists must be stopped from enjoying impunity for their actions.

“If Pastor Jerome and Nathasha Edirisuriya are breaking the law with their speech then the same law should be applied to monks who have sprouted hate speech against fellow religions. The law can’t be one-sided anymore!” he tweeted.

The MP also acknowledged the importance of the ongoing investigations and said the matter must now be left to the courts. He also urged law enforcement to adopt a similar approach when dealing with Buddhist clergy who promote hate speech against other faiths.

He called for an end to the selective application of the law and stressed that no religious figure or activist should be allowed to avoid the consequences of their anti-social behaviour.