Parliament thrown into turmoil; Sittings suspended for 10 mins

Two Opposition MPs suspended

By Saman Indrajith

Opposition MPs’ protest, demanding the restoration of their right to raise questions in Parliament led to the suspension of sittings being suspended for 10 minutes yesterday and the subsequent suspension of two MPs for the day.

SJB Kurunegala District MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and Kandy District SLPP dissident MP Wasantha Yapa Bandara were suspended from Parliament for the day.

Protests erupted when MP Bandara asked a supplementary question from Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi about the neglect of elephants. “Today, the elephants are ill-treated and processions cannot be held with elephants. Lankan elephants are a rare species. We have reports that there were attempts of taking their genes abroad. There was also a recent report about elephant Muthuraja being taken back to Thailand. Now, there are many visitors to see that elephant in that country. There are tourists visiting Thailand to see that elephant. We are accused of ill-treating elephants”

Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakshe said that MP Wasantha Bandara was taking more time for his questions and asked the MP to shorten his complaint.

MP Bandara: This is a serious issue. We must be given time to raise these issues of national importance in the House. Elephants are a part of our heritage.

The Deputy Speaker: What you are saying is true but do not waste the time of the House.

MP Bandara: We have a right to raise questions. Why doesn’t the Chair allow us to exercise our rights?

Chief Government Whip Housing and Urban Development Minister Prasanna Ranatunga: The MP is taking so much time for his question. You are raising these questions to grab media attention.

Deputy Speaker Rajapakshe said that the MP was continuously causing disturbances to the proceedings of the Parliament.

Minister Wanniarachchi said that she had answered in detail the questions pertaining to the human-elephant conflict in the House and, therefore, would not answer the supplementary questions.

Deputy Speaker Rajapakshe said that he would skip the question at hand and move the House to the next question.

Thereafter, Opposition MPs shouted at the Chair. Some of them invaded the Well of the House while others approached the Chair and shouted at the Deputy Speaker, who called on the Leader of the Opposition to control his fellow MPs. “They should not be called MPs. There are more disciplined ones in the jungles,” the Deputy Speaker said.

As some MPs approached the Chair, the Deputy Speaker suspended sittings for 10 minutes.

When the House resumed sittings after a delay, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena presided.

NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa said that when the disturbances took place there were Japanese government delegation and schoolchildren in the gallery.

SJB Kurunegala District MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha: I did not take more than two minutes for my question. We need time to raise questions. Are we supposed to take our questions to a Pradeshiya Sabha if we are not allowed to discuss them here?

Chief Government Whip Minister Ranatunga: The conduct of MP Wasantha Bandara and Nalin Bandara was abhorrent. Some MPs reached the Chair and threatened the presiding MP and I call on the Speaker to suspend the sittings of these two MPs.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena suspended the two MPs for the day. The two MPs left the Chamber while their colleagues shouted, condemning the government for depriving the MPs’ rights.