'Buddhist Power Army'[3][4]) also abbreviated as BBS is a far-right anti-liberalist, and ultranationalist Sinhalese Buddhist organization, and a break-away faction from the right-wing nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya party.

[5][6] The BBS generally opposes pluralist and democratic ideologies, and criticizes non-extremist Buddhist monks for not taking action against the rise of other religions within Sri Lanka.

[11] The convention passed five resolutions which, amongst other things, called for a ban on vasectomy and tubal ligation in government health facilities, replacement of the various legal systems used in the country with a single legal system, preferential treatment in university admission for students who attended Buddhism classes, use of monks in government schools to teach history and other classes, and the avoidance of any race- or religion-based solution for the country's ethnic problems.

[22] The BBS stormed Sri Lanka Law College in Hultsdorf, Colombo on 7 January 2013, alleging that exam results were being distorted in favour of Muslim students.

[41][42] The BBS held a rally in Kandy on 17 March 2013 at which it announced that it would work to remove a 10th-century mosque at the Kuragala Buddhist monastery complex in Ratnapura District.

[45] BBS general secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara accused the Muslim owned Fashion Bug and No Limit retail chains of converting its Buddhist Sinhalese employees to Islam.

[47] At the rally BBS called for High Commissioner Ferial Ashraff to be recalled from Singapore for allegedly carrying out anti-Sinhala activities.

[52] The Muslim owned Fashion Bug clothes shop in Pepiliyana, Colombo District was attacked on 28 March 2013 by a mob led by Buddhist monks.

[61] In April 2013 a group of BBS members led by general secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara visited the US to raise awareness of the organisation and counter its negative image.

[62][63] In August 2014 Gnanasara Thera criticised the Government for allowing the Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath (SLTJ) to carry out protests against Israel due to the ongoing Gaza war.

The Thera noted that Israel supplied a range of armaments, including Kfir jets, Dvora and Shaldag class fast attack craft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, anti-missile systems for Mi-24 helicopter gunships as well as combat training.

[64] In 2014, Gnanasara Thera and the BBS signed a pact with Myanmar's Ashin Wirathu and the 969 Movement to build a Buddhist Alliance in order to protect the Buddha Sasana.

On the same day All of Sri Lanka's Muslim ministers and their deputies resigned from their portfolios for a month and asked the allegations to be proven within that time.

[72] Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandira is owned by the Buddhist Cultural Centre, an organisation also founded by former leader Kirama Wimalajothi.

[74][75] The BBS alongside Ravana Balaya, Sinhala Ravaya and Mahasohon Balakaya are among a new wave of organisations in Sri Lanka that push a "new brand" of Nationalism with a greater emphasis of religion with more militant tendencies to protect the motherland.

The Bodu Bala Sena claims to operate alongside the Sinhala Rawaya and the Ravana Balaya in the far-right campaign Sinha Le, which opposes the LGBQT community, Islam, and Tamil Eelam.

[79] Later they threatened to launch a campaign of agitation against halal certification, stating "they [the Muslims] are trying to impose their ritualistic food products upon this country.

[85] The BBS stormed a meat inspection facility in Dematagoda run by Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) on 1 March 2013, alleging that young calves, pregnant cows and water buffaloes were being slaughtered at the premises.

They accused Milinda Moragoda, a government minister, of "creating an unholy inter-religious alliance, and attempting to destroy our learned monks.

[95][96] On Poson Poya (12 June 2014) Buddhist monk Ayagama Samitha and his driver were allegedly assaulted by Muslims in Dharga Town.

[103][107] Reportedly local Muslim residents started throwing stones at the BBS convoy which resulted in violent clashes erupting between the two groups.

[117][118][119] The BBS general secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara has accused the majority of the English language media in the country of "working on foreign agendas" and of being traitors to the Sinhala Buddhist cause.

[122] Opposition MP and former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera has accused the BBS of being "a representation of ‘Taliban’ terrorism’" and of spreading extremism and communal hatred against Muslims.

[131] The Islamic Human Rights Commission has accused the BBS of "spreading religious hatred" and urged the Sri Lankan government to take legal action against organisations which attack minority groups.

[136] Opposition provincial councillor and MRO president Mujeebur Rahuman has stated that the unfettered activities of the BBS will mean an "ethnic riot will start between Sinhalese and Muslims".

[138][139][140] A group calling itself "Buddhists Questioning Bodu Bala Sena" staged a peaceful candle-lit vigil on 12 April 2013 outside the BBS's headquarters at Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandira.

[145] In doing so they disrupted a meeting over the search for people missing from the civil war and began hurling insults and threats to destroy the center.

On 22 July 2014, Gnanasara denounced the 14th Dalai Lama after he called for the Buddhist monks in Myanmar and Sri Lanka to end violence towards Muslims in their countries.

[146] Bodu Bala Sena was accused and criticised by the critics and other political leaders for aggravating the violence between Muslims and Buddhists in the country which troubled the entire nation in recent times including the 2018 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka in Kandy.