SJB protests inside Parliament

By Saman Indrajith

SJB MPs staged a protest in the House yesterday, accusing the government of having deployed police to disrupt SJB anti-government protests on Tuesday.

SJB’s General Secretary, MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, participating in the second reading stage debate on Budget 2022 alleged that the government had deployed the police force to suppress the protesters.

“The government is scared of SJB and the public. The police sought court orders, but the requests were rejected,” he said.

The government MPs too shouted back at SJB MPs. SLPP MP Mohamed Muzammil said that the SJB’s intention was to spread the COVID-19 by holding mass protests to derail the government’s anti-covid campaign. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena was seen trying to bring the situation under control.

SJB MPs shouted claiming that one of their supporters had been beaten to death at Embilipitiya for attending an SJB rally. They alleged that public security minister Sarath Weeraskera was responsible for the alleged killing at the Panamure police station.

Minister Weerasekara, denying police assault causing the suspect’s death inside Panamure police station, said the suspect, a drug addict, had committed suicide inside the police cell.

Chief Opposition Whip SJB Kandy district MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the police first had tried to get a court order against the protest. “A few courts did so but all others permitted the protest. But the IGP got all OICs to prevent our supporters from coming to Colombo. This amounts to a breach of our privileges.”