The installation of a Buddha statue near the historic Ukantamalai Murugan Temple on the coast of Amparai district has caused widespread anger and concern among local residents and Hindu devotees, who believe it is part of the ongoing Buddhistization campaign in the Tamil homeland.
The statue was reportedly installed on a hillock near the Sri Lankan Navy camp, which is located on the sacred coast surrounding the ancient Ukantamalai temple.
Further escalating tensions, a Buddhist flag was also hoisted at the site, which locals believe is a symbol of Sinhalese Buddhist rule over the historically Tamil Hindu region.
Community residents and temple management have condemned the move, questioning the government’s double standards in religious buildings. They stressed that Hindu devotees had previously applied to erect a Murugan statue in the temple, but were rejected by the authorities. Many are now questioning how a Buddha statue could be erected in the same area under such circumstances.
The local Hindu community has expressed serious concern and warned that the development in Ukanthamalai is similar to the government’s earlier actions in Kataragama, where Buddhist architecture and rituals were gradually introduced and overlaid on pre-existing Tamil Hindu holy sites, leading to the marginalization of Tamil religious traditions.
Activists and residents say the situation is part of a deliberate and systematic government plan to change the cultural and religious landscape of the Tamil homeland, especially in areas where military installations have facilitated such encroachments.
The issue has been formally brought to the attention of Amparai District MP K. Kodeeswaran, who has been urged to raise the matter in Parliament and relevant ministries, the report shows.
Ukanthamalai Murugan Temple is a sacred site of deep spiritual and historical significance for Tamil Hindus. The incident comes amid widespread concerns about Sinhalese Buddhist encroachment on religious beliefs in the northeast, where similar incidents of building statues, viharas and stupas are common.
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