Eksath Bhikkhu Peramuna
[2] N. Q. Dias, a nationalist civil servant who had been working to overthrow the Westernized cultural ethos represented by the UNP elite,[11] was described as "the ideologue and the real driving force and architect of the EBP".
[14] On 16 February 1956, the EBP led by Buddharakkitha held a meeting at the Town Hall in Colombo, urging the UNP government to postpone the election from early 1956 to after the Buddha Jayanti celebrations which were set to take place between May 1956 and May 1957.
Among the principles listed were implementing the proposals of the Buddhist Commission Report, making Sinhala the only official language, and removing the policies and institutions of the UNP government.
[2][23] The campaign finally paid off on 10 April when the elections resulted in a surprising landslide victory for the MEP which secured an absolute majority, bringing an end to the eight-year rule of the UNP government.
Soon after the swearing-in, the new Prime Minister Bandaranaike and members of his cabinet visited the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara to pay homage to its Chief Incumbent, Buddharakkitha.
As part of his election promise to implement the recommendations of the Buddhist Commission Report, Bandaranaike established a Ministry of Cultural Affairs to "rehabilitate the religions which have suffered under colonial rule."
As its first legislation since assuming office, the Bandaranaike government introduced a draft bill to make Sinhala the sole official language but with provisions ensuring the use of Tamil.
On 1 April, Buddhist monks of the All-Ceylon United Bhikkhu Association led a retaliatory pro-Sri campaign, effacing Tamil and English signs.
Dr. N. M. Perera, Leader of the Opposition, noted that the EBP through its inflammatory speeches during its boycott campaign created an atmosphere to "rouse up the basest passions of the people.
"[41] Likewise, Senator S. Nadesan called the government out on not having condemned the boycott campaign organized by one of its prime supporters, the EBP, which he named as among the groups that had contributed to the intensification of racialized propaganda during the last two months.
[42] J. C. T. Kotelawala, MP for Badulla, accused the "yellow-robed Rasputins" in the government, such as the EBP leaders Buddharakkitha and Seelawansa, for having roused the people with racial hatred over the language issue since 1956.
[43] C. A. Dharmapala, MP for Hakmana, placed the blame for the violence on the government from whose platforms, he attested to having personally witnessed, the seed of racial hatred that was spread and sponsored by the EBP.
[44] Thus, the EBP came to embody Sinhalese Buddhist intransigence and whose threats and demonstrations directed against concessions to minorities "contributed significantly to the growth of communal tensions" after the 1956 general election.
[4] In early 1958, Buddharakhitha became embroiled in a conflict with the MEP government's left-wing minister of agriculture, Philip Gunawardena, who had called for the nationalization of foreign-owned tea estates, insurance companies, and banks.
Buddharakkita then sent two open letters to Bandaranaike where he expressed his concern about "reactionary totalitarians" in the government and attacked Gunawardena's five-point plan to address the high cost of living.
[46] The internal dissensions within the EBP had led to virtually all of its SLMSS members being alienated by the mid-1958 and some monks also broke away to form their own organization in May over the Buddharakkitha faction's opposition to socialist measures, contributing to its disintegration.
[48] Feeling increasingly slighted by the government, the EBP finally made its break with the SLFP openly known in early June 1959 when it decided to appoint a committee to investigate whether it might be necessary to start a new political party.
[50][51] Following the assassination of the Prime Minister and with the public opinion turned against monks in politics, one of the General Secretaries of the EBP, Seelawansa, announced their decision to refrain from participation in the 1960 elections and the group became defunct.
