The Hindu : International : Monks call off stir over Bollywood show

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 12, 2004

International

International

Monks call off stir over Bollywood show

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, DEC 11 . A section of Sri Lankan monks today called off their "fast-unto-death" agitation against a concert featuring top Indian Hindi-filmstars, Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta and others, following an apology by the organisers of the event.

However, after the monks called off their protest, police fired teargas shells and opened water canons to disperse crowds who were angered at the sudden withdrawal and moved in to waylay vehicles. "But they vanished when police in riot gear moved in," an eyewitness said.

There was high security since morning and all approaches to the concert venue were sealed by armed policemen, as the protesting monks had threatened to set themselves ablaze if the organisers went ahead with programme, "Temptation 2004" today - a day ahead of the first death anniversary of a controversial tele-evangelist, Soma Thera.

The monks took to the streets last week demanding rescheduling of the concert, as it coincided with the first death anniversary of Soma. He died in Moscow.

"The concert can only be held over our dead bodies," a monk told a TV channel last night.

The monks, who are backed by the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and campaign on a platform to "restore Sinhala-Buddhist heritage" platform, however, took no objection to a live public concert by the international group, Air Supply, which was held here last night.

Soma Thera passed away due to "cardiac arrest" and his death "under mysterious circumstances" was the major plank on which the nine monks of the JHU were elected MPs for the first time in Sri Lanka this April.

The concert featuring Shahrukh Khan is sponsored by a group of leading Sri Lankan companies and also features other Hindi film stars, Saif Ali Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Celina Jaitly, and Javed Khan, among others.

Hindi films are immensely popular in Sri Lanka, particularly among the Sinhalese, with new releases playing to packed houses.

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