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TNA throws House into turmoil over arrests at archaeological site

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Govt. cannot secure release of suspects produced in court – Justice Minister

Officials acted to protect archaeological site – Wimal

By Saman Indrajith

Parliament descended into chaos yesterday morning as the TNA MPs staged a protest, demanding that the government ensure religious freedom of the Tamils.They shouted slogans in Tamil, English and Sinhala protesting against the arrest of eight civilians who were conducting a ‘pooja’ in view of the Maha Shivaratri Day on 08 March in an archaeological site.

The TNA MPs invaded the Well of the House when sittings commenced with Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakshe presiding at 9.30 a.m. for the debate on the no-confidence motion against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella and several SJB MPs also joined the protest.

Premadasa said that religious freedom was a fundamental right, and the Chair must give a ruling ensuring that right.

Chief Government Whip Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga:

The Opposition MPs are wasting the time of the House.

Deputy Speaker Rajapakshe:

Everybody puts up shows these days.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena:

We are not against the Opposition MPs raising this issue.

They could do so in a proper manner. They can go back to their chairs and raise the issue.

Wanni District TNA MP Charles Nirmalanathan:

Eight persons have been taken into custody. They should be set free. A bogus case has been filed against them.

Opposition Leader Premadasa:

This House is duty bound to uphold the Constitution.

Freedom of religion is a constitutionally guaranteed right.

The protest was called off after Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe assured an impartial and comprehensive investigation into the incident. “We hope that the court will serve justice to this incident. It is not fair for the MPs to protest in the House demanding that suspects of a case pending before courts be released. Now the matter is before court. We assure that the investigations would be impartial and all facts would be presented to the court,” Minister Rajapakshe said.

Dissident SLPP MP Wimal Weerawansa said the TNA was trying to create religious disharmony with an eye to the coming elections. The Archaeological Department officials had taken a group of persons who were performing a pooja in violation of the law and produced them in court. They must not be penalized for doing their job, he said.



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Payment of Compensation to the people who have lost their cultivable lands in implementing the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project

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Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 27-06-2012 to provide cultivable agricultural lands from the lower Uma Oya valley to 276 farming families in Hali-Ela, Walimada, and Uva Paranagama Divisional Secretariat Divisions who have lost their cultivable lands due to the acquisition of lands for the
Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.

However, the aforementioned proposal could not be implemented due to the encroachment of a large portion of the identified lands by unauthorized persons, heavy forest cover, the threats posed by wild elephants, remoteness from their original settlements, and difficulties in adapting to other environmental conditions and social anomalies.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to pay an estimated compensation of Rs. 12 lakhs for each of these 276 farming families, based on the
recommendations submitted by the Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to provide solutions for the issues arising in the implementation of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.

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Draft Bill of the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka to be Gazzated

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Policy approval was granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 07.04.2025 to prepare a draft bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka in order to accomplish the requirement of a training institution to carry out studies in order to create chartered media professionals and mould intelligent media personalities with skills in order to enhance the quality and standard of the media society.

Clearance of the Attorney General has been received for the final draft prepared by the Legal Draftsman for the purpose.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to publish the draft bill of Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka in the Government Gazette Notification and thereafter submit the same for the concurrence of the House.

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Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 to be amended

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The Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 has enabled provisions to impose telecommunication levy. The budget 2026 has proposed to introduce amendments for the act including changes imposed from time to time regarding the telecommunication levy.

Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated a draft bill for
amending the Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 including provisions to extend applicable to envisage all the tax amounts applicable from the year 2015 along with the telecommunication levy existing at present, applicable of taxes on unrecovered revenue (bad debts) and to extend the provisions of that act to cater the telecommunication suppliers.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the  President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said draft bill in the Government Gazette Notification and subsequently to submit the same for the concurrence of the House.

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