By Saman Indrajith

The Opposition’s move to suspend Standing Orders and take up a motion yesterday censuring President Gotabaya Rajapaksa failed.

The Opposition parties demanded that the motion be taken for debate by suspending the Standing Orders but as the government disagreed the matter was put to the vote and defeated by a majority of 51 votes.

As per the results of the vote, the Opposition parties will have to wait several days more to take the motion for debate in the House.

At the commencement of the business of the House, the Opposition parties asked the Chair to take up the motion of censure against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardena pointed out that the

motion had been submitted very

late, and it should be on the Order Paper of Parliament for at least five days to be taken up for debate in the House. The time period has been stipulated by the Standing Orders, Gunawardena pointed out, adding that therefore the motion of censure could not be taken up for the debate now.”

Chief Opposition Whip SJB Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella called on the Speaker to give a ruling on the matter and take the motion for debate. “As per the Article 42 of the Constitution the President is responsible to Parliament. He should come here and provide responses to the questions because he is duty bound to do so. We have a motion of censure to show that the President is guilty of dereliction of his duties and shirking his responsibilities 35 times during the recent past. We need time to debate this. It is the duty of the Speaker to allow this. The Speaker should respect the Westminster System.”

TNA MP Sumanthiran proposed to suspend the Parliament Standing Orders to take up the censure motion.

Sumanthiran’s proposal was seconded by Chief Opposition Whip SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella.

Leader of the House Minister Gunawardena opposed the move and requested a vote to stop the proposal.

Minister Gunawardena said that the motion could be debated at a later date without suspending the standing orders.

The Opposition’s proposal was then put to the vote.

The Government secured 119 votes, while the opposition obtained 68 votes.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also voted with the Government to defeat the proposal.

MP Sumanthiran found fault with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe for siding with the ruling party.

MP Sumanthiran condemned Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, stating that the country was now aware who was attempting to protect the President.

Pointing out that the debate would only result in a motion of censure, MP Sumanthiran said that the President would not lose his job by the motion being taken up for debate.

“Your names have been displayed on the board today. The country now knows who is protecting the President, who does not. Absolutely shameless conduct by the Prime Minister and those on the government benches,” he said.

Sumanthiran Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had agreed to the motion of censure when the latter was in the Opposition.

“MP Wickremesinghe wanted to see the draft and I sent it to him on the 26 April. He vetted it. He suggested that the draft be sent to Galle Face protesters to obtain their consent as well,” the MP said.

Stating that the draft had been sent to the protesters at Galle Face, the TNA MP said their consent had been obtained.

MP Sumanthiran also pointed out that at the time the Prime Minister had also issued two statements revealing that he will vote in favour of the Motion expressing displeasure over the President’s conduct.

He questioned why Wickremesinghe had changed his stance and had failed to vote in favour of the motion as previously announced.

“What games is he playing? The only thing that has changed between that day and today is that he has got a job as Prime Minister,” MP Sumanthiran said.

The TNA MP said Wickremesinghe had compromised his principles.

MP Sumanthiran added that the Prime Minister who was asking for support from the Opposition when he didn’t have the support of his own people on the government benches.