News
Sajith pitches into Speaker, accusing him of preventing MPs from speaking out
by Saman Indrajith
Opposition MPs, led by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, yesterday, in Parliament, accused Speaker Jagath Wickremesinghe of preventing the MPs speaking in the House and thereby depriving them of their rights.
The Opposition made that allegation when the Speaker warned that he would be compelled to have MPs Ramanathan Archchuna and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam removed from the House for disrupting the proceedings.
The MPs alleged that extra-judicial killings were taking place in the North and the East just like in other areas of the country.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the Speaker should not discriminate against the Opposition MPs.
“You give opportunities to other MPs to raise points of order but you don’t give that opportunity to these two MPs,” Premadasa said.
Leader of the House, Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayke, who responded, said there was no discrimination.
“We cannot afford to allow MPs to raise points of order regarding unimportant matters. What will happen if all 224 MPs raise points of order in that manner?