News No.
105/2015: Monday, July 06, 2015
MANIKCHARI Union
Council Chairman Abul Kalam has threatened Ven. Bodhi Ratna Bhante, a Buddist
monk in charge of Pragnabhumi Shantipada Meditation centre, to take action
against him for trying to defend his temple's land against encroachment by
illegal Bengali settlers.
According to local
sources, on Sunday morning (5 July), the Jumma villagers of Bokripara and
Monadongpara in Manikchari, Khagrachari began building a temple in their land.
But when the settlers
tried to stop them with the help of the army, a tension was created between the
Jumma villagers and the Bengali settlers.
Hearing the news of
the tension, Abul Kalam rushed to the spot and began arguing with the Bhante,
who was overseeing the construction of the temple.
After being unable to
defeat him in the argument, Abul Kalam threatened the monk, saying '' There was
peace in the area until now. It has gone away since you came here. All these
things are happening because of you. If any untoward incident happens today or
in future, I will take action against you.''
In reply to his
threat, the monk said, ' No. peace has gone away since the planting of mango
sapling in our land by Bengali settlers. They are the trouble mongers.''
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