Declare one’s religion truthfully
Posted on October 20th, 2019
V. KITHSIRI Courtesy The Island
Our constitution is there to safeguard the rights of every individual irrespective of their race, religion, and ethnicity.
This is one of the basic requirements in a secular country. I’m in the opinion that application forms for the candidates for the forthcoming Presidential election do not require them to declare their religion on the forms.
Well and good we all will say. However, it should equally safeguard the voters from those culprits who masquerade as belonging to a certain religion, for the votes from that community. News is floating in social media/web that certain candidates contesting this election are duping the masses, proclaiming on stage that they belong to Buddhism when they are not so actually.
As much as any individual belonging to any religion has the right to contest an election in the country, will it not be a violation of the election rules to fake your identity? However, a candidate cannot be held responsible for faking if he is not required to declare his religion on the form.
Therefore, I see the necessity for the Elections Commission to request all the candidates to reveal their religion on forms for accountability, if it is not the case already.
V. KITHSIRI
October 20th, 2019 at 5:31 pm
Religion is a personal choice. Faking religion is not an offence in SL. It is an offence in Iran for instance.
Therefore, there is no point in asking them for their religion.
Keep race, ethnicity, caste, tribe and religion out.
October 20th, 2019 at 8:10 pm
What a joke ?
Every big politician from past 1st citizens to greatest patriots to the worst betrayer, ALL are not only faking but acting like they belong to the religion of most voters.
You asking bunch of liars to tell truth about their religion. Most of them do not have one, they follow the religion called materialism.