The sudden interest exhibited by some segments of our society could be a political strategy targeting elections, prominent Buddhist monk and scholar Galkande Dhammananda Thera said.

"Some people could not face society in the recent past due to the situation in the country. But now they can find a way to keep themselves relevant in politics in the guise of protecting Buddhism," Dhammananda Thera said.

Dhammananda Thera said there was nothing wrong in not believing in a particular religion and being atheist.

"There are people who do not believe in religions across the world. Some people remain skeptical about religions and some people do not have a special bond with a particular religion. That's completely acceptable. Sometimes people who do not believe in religions are more civilized than those who believe in religions," Dhammananda Thera speaking to the BBC Sinhala Service.

"But, some people in Sri Lanka call themselves as atheists as part of promoting a certain political agenda. They insult religions ans religious teachings as part of a political strategy. We must make a clear distinction between the two," he added.