All Ceylon Basnayake Nilame’s Association President Hemantha Bandara said that due to some people’s baseless criticism of devalas and their Basnayake Nilames through social media, the amount of aid received by many devalas in the country has decreased by about 50%. He said that some people are trying to publicise their YouTube channels and websites, by giving space to baseless accusations made by people who are not responsible and this is causing serious damage to the cultural core system of this country.
Speaking to the media in Kandy, Hemantha Bandara also said that anyone should make an allegation with evidence to prove it.
Apart from the 31 Basnayake Nilames who are gazetted under the Diyawadana Nilame and Vihara Dewalagam Ordinance Act, there are no other Basnayake Nilames in this country and some people are fraudulent Basnayake Nilames and hold positions in dewalas due to being elected as a result of various frauds and corruption and are pretending to be Basnayake Nilames. He also emphasised that the actual Basnayake Nilames are facing issues due to this.
Bandara said that no one is a Basnayake Nilame just because they wear the upcountry dress and that some people who act in this way are caught not only in fraud and corruption but even in murders and that it is a grave problem that media names them as Basnayake Nilames. He said that this will add a black mark to the reputation of the Basnayake Nilames of the devalas and due to the influence of this, the devotees will think twice about supporting them. He said further that when various programmes including the performance of rituals related to the four major festivals are conducted centered on the devalas, the devala has to bear huge monthly and yearly expenses for paying electricity and water bills and that it has become a burden due to donations becoming less and less.