Higher Education and Highways Minister, Lakshman Kiriella denied allegations that the Sinhala race and Buddhism will be undermined by the proposed new Constitution to be introduced by the Yahapalana government.

Sri Lanka is in dire need of a new Constitution after a protracted thirty-year war, he told journalists in Kandy.

He said the government is taking all measures with commitment and responsibility to protect the Sinhala race, Buddhist order and the integrity of the country.

The minister said there are newspapers accusing the government of trying to undermine the Sinhala race, Buddhism and the unitary state of the country. “These allegations are absolutely false and misleading”.

The place enjoyed by the Buddha Sasana will not be changed in the new Constitution. No such proposal has been presented to the relevant committee drafting the new Constitution, he noted.

“Some persons in this committee make various statements outside the committee. These statements are contradictory. The President, the Prime Minister and I, as the Leader of the House, are good Buddhists. We will never allow any harm to be done to our religion and culture”, Kiriella assured.

The minister said the colonial invaders Portuguese, Dutch and the British, during their 400-year rule, could not destroy the Buddha Sasana, which is protected mainly by the Sangha. The Buddha Sasana has been protected by all Constitutions since 1948. Every successive government protected the Sasana.