Aluthgamage and Fonseka on opposing ends of spectrum over Wijesiri’s resignation from House

By Saman Indrajith

SLPP Kandy District MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Gampaha District SJB MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka expressed different opinions in Parliament yesterday on the resignation of Badulla District SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri the previous day.

Raising a point of Order, MP Aluthgamage said that Wijesiri announcing his resignation to the House had stated that people abhorred all 225 MPs in the House, and their children were cursed. “There is no such thing. We do not have people cursing at us or our children. Wijesiri’s statement is detrimental to all MPs here. He said that he had resigned because he did not want his children cursed by people. But there are media reports that he resigned after taking Rs 900 million from a person who is next in line on the list to enter parliament. That person who gave the money to become an MP is said to be a dual citizen. His statement is ridiculous because he is getting money to offer his seat and go to Australia. I call on the chair to pay attention to this statement against all MPs here,” MP Aluthgamage said.

Field Marshal Fonseka said Wijesiri did not want to take money from anyone to step down from his seat. “It was stated in this House that Wijesiri took 900 million rupees from the next in line on the preferential list to make way for the latter to become an MP. Wijesiri was known to us well and he was seriously disgusted about the way the parliamentary privilege committee had treated him. He was not a person who made his decisions for financial gains. He came to parliament in a V8 SUV. Now, he uses an Alto car. He is not a person who came to politics on a C 90 bike and now rides a V8,” Fonseka said.