Monks protest at Colombo Bollywood show

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 December 2004, 15:28 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) parliamentarian Ven.Omalpe Sobitha Thera sustained injuries and twelve protesters including monks were arrested at the "Temptation 2004" show at Horse Race Square, Colombo, Saturday, staged by Bollywood superstar Sharukh Khan when protesters turned violent, police sources in Colombo said. Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera is warded in the Colombo National Hospital, medical sources said. Buddhist Monks were protesting against holding the entertainment event on the death anniversary of Ven Gangodawilla Soma Thera.

The programme is continuing despite the protest in Colombo, over 25 thousands people including Indians and foreigners taking part in this show with the police and Srilanka military security, sources in Colomba said.

Budhist activists organizing the death anniversary had previously requested the organisers of the show to postponed the programme. The show organizers said at a news conference in Taj Samudra Hotel, that the contract for the event had been signed six months ago and that it will not be possible to change the dates at this late stage but that they would be willing it oberve two-minutes silence at the beginning of the show.

The Death Anniversay Committee later handed over a memorandum to Indian Ambassador, last week not to give exit visa for the Khan group to come to Srilanka.

More than dozen monks slept over night in a tent at Colombo former race course where Shahrukhan and his troupe Friday night in a desperate bid to stop the show from being staged.