Numerous places of archaeological value have been vandalised during the regime of the present government, Parliament was told yesterday.

UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera said that the vandalising of these sites take place with the blessings of government ministers.

He said that chief incumbents of temples request the UNP MPs to safeguard the national heritage as, as there was no use in complaining to the police.

MP Jayasekera said that the ministers collect Nidan Vadulas and direct their henchmen to dig up sites of archaeological importance.

"Very soon they’ll desecrate the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara too," he said.

Jayasekera said so when the government had failed to answer a question raised by him on the details of damages caused to these sites.

He demanded to know the number of places vandalised during the years of 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, the number of incidents reported to the police, the number of arrests made in this regard and the number of incidents where legal action had been initiated in terms of the archaeological ordinance.

Chief Government Whip, Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the government needed more time to answer the question as there were sites damaged by the LTTE during the years.

He said that the UNP had virtually handed over two provinces to the LTTE so that the terrorists could damage sites of archaeological importance at their will. Now, the UNP is silent on this, he said.