Parliamentary business was relegated to rowdy levels today during the budget speech of President Mahinda Rajapaksa with some unruly government MP's trying to manhandle and rough up UNP members who held aloft placards critical of the 2012 budget.
Addressing to media Minister Mervin Silva gave his idea about the incident.
In the mean time UNP MP John Amarathunga said that he, Karu Jayasuriya, Anoma Gamage, Harin Fernando and several other opposition legislators had protested peacefully in Parliament against the government’s undemocratic acts including the harassment and imprisonment of Retired General Sarath Fonseka, enactment of unethical and unfair legislation to acquire profitable enterprises and the skyrocketing cost of living, when a group of ruling party MPs had pushed and assaulted them.
He said that the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had also been kicked on his leg.
Leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe said that thuggery should not be tolerated at any cost, adding that the UNP was willing to support what was good, but unfortunately the government’s policies, including the budget, had not provided any relief for the masses.
Jayalath Jayawardena MP, said that he had been stopped by security personnel at the entrance to the member’s chamber in parliament and prevented from carrying any documents with him.
General Secretary Tissa Attanayake had also been checked and denied permission to carry the files in his possession. The denial of their parliamentary privileges would be brought to the notice of the Inter Parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, he said.
Dayasiri Jayasekera MP, said that it was a disgrace to see ruling party MPs assault opposition legislators in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the only conclusion that can be drawn was that the President condoned such actions.
No comments:
Post a Comment