Dissanayake said that the President quotes from the Buddha’s teaching, however, the main focus of the Buddhist philosophy is equality and social justice,
which is not practiced by the Wickremesinghe-led government.
“A country’s economy should grow in a way that it would be equally beneficial for people in all social strata. However in our country money is centered around only few people. Taxation policies, corruption and certain economic strategies, all contributed to centering country’s money between a group of people. There is no use of high economic growth rate, if the society is not wholesome. There is a Colombo centered economic policy in the country. We need to expand the economy by supporting village based economic resources. The highest social stratus which is a 10% consumes 38% of our capital. Lowest 10% uses only 1% of our resources. I am not saying everyone should have equal assets. What we need is social justice. The President always quotes from Buddhist philosophy. What is the main foundation of Buddhism? Its equality and social justice. Do we have equality and social justice in our country? Economy should expand and establish social justice,” Dissanayake noted.
“A country’s economy should grow in a way that it would be equally beneficial for people in all social strata. However in our country money is centered around only few people. Taxation policies, corruption and certain economic strategies, all contributed to centering country’s money between a group of people. There is no use of high economic growth rate, if the society is not wholesome. There is a Colombo centered economic policy in the country. We need to expand the economy by supporting village based economic resources. The highest social stratus which is a 10% consumes 38% of our capital. Lowest 10% uses only 1% of our resources. I am not saying everyone should have equal assets. What we need is social justice. The President always quotes from Buddhist philosophy. What is the main foundation of Buddhism? Its equality and social justice. Do we have equality and social justice in our country? Economy should expand and establish social justice,” Dissanayake noted.
