Meteorological Department announced that the name Mahasen would not be further used for the turbulence. However, S.R. Jayasekara, a director in charge of weather forecasting defended the name pointing out that the name was suitable since cyclones rendered a service by taking away the heat from the tropical areas and causing rain to provide water for cultivation.
The officials of the Meteorological Department surrendered to the Sinhala Buddhist extremist organization Ravana Power which protested the manipulation of of the past to name this cyclone.
The secretary of the Ravana Power Ven. Ittekande Saddhathissa Thero named the use of the name as a foolish decision. He further said the organization would not oppose naming it as 'Prabakaran', the slain leader of the minority Tamil's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam rebel movement which led a three decade war.
Meanwhile, another person called Nimal Weerathunga, a Coordinating Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development, has lodged has written to the Director General of the Met Department demanding a probe regarding proposing the name of the said king to the New Delhi meteorological base.
King Mahasen ruled the country during 277 - 304 AD. He is remembered as a king who built a large number of resevoires including Minneriya weva in Polonnaruwa district. He also helped immensely to the Mahayana Buddhism and built Jethawanaramaya which became the third religious center in Anuradhapura.
