Former Minister Harin Fernando accused Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith of engaging in politics.
Speaking at an election rally in Medirigiriya in support of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Fernando said that the Easter Sunday attacks was used to promote Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the next Presidential candidate.
Fernando blamed former President Maithripala Sirisena for failing to prevent the Easter attack despite prior information.
He said that a few days after the attacks in April last year a private television station launched the bid to promote Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a Presidential candidate.
Fernando said that historically Catholics voted for the United National Party but after the Easter attacks most of those votes went to Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
He said that Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith had made a statement critical of him with wrong information.
Fernando said that he had telephoned the Archbishop and expressed disappointment after he made the statement.
(With inputs from Colombo Gazette)
