Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today hit out at newspapers that had erroneously reported that the Asgiri and Malwattu Chapters were against the new Constitution.

“The Malwattu Mahanayake Thera is not even in the country,” the Prime Minister said at a press conference this afternoon.

Reports surfaced this morning that the Asgiri and Malwattu Chapters of the Siam Nikaya were opposed to the new constitution.

The news reports had further said that the Asgiri and Malwattu prelates were also against any amendments to the existing Constitution.

The Premier warned newspaper editors not to print ‘misleading’ news that would cause confusion with the public and to conduct their professions with dignity.