Sri Lankan prison authorities' decision to make a firebrand convict monk wear a prison uniform has caused a stir with the Buddhist groups protesting across the country.
Galagodatte Gnanasara was ordered to be jailed last week for six months sentence for threatening a woman in court premises.
Gnanasara who headed the extremist Buddhist nationalist group Bodu Bala Sena (Forces of Buddhist Power) was charged of carrying out threats against the Muslim minority and for contempt of court.
Some Buddhist groups have raised a cry over Gnanasara's arrest. A scholar monk representing one of the Buddhist monk sects wrote to the Justice Minister Thalatha Atukorale crying foul over prison authorities' action to "disrobe" Gnanasara.
Atukorale in her response has said that all are equal before the law and anyone sentenced to jail must obey the provisions in the Prisons Act.
Buddhist monks groups held street protests at different parts of the country calling for President Maithripala Sirisena's attention to grant the monk a presidential pardon and release him.
Gnanasara led anti-Muslim minority hatred during the former regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Muslims accused the then government of protecting him.
With the change of the regime Gnanasara's high handed action came in for accountability.
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