Commission to probe Rathupaswala shooting - PM
Government
legislators who joined in the debate on the interim Budget presented
under the Government's 100-day Program explained to the House as to how
the Government could provide immediate relief to the people due to its
candid efforts to check fraud, waste and corruption of the previous
government.
Opposition members commended the Government's attempts to present the
interim Budget and said it contained people friendly proposals.
Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva who opened the debate for
the Opposition endorsed benefits given to the people in the interim
budget. He told the House that the main Opposition UPFA will vote for
the Budget. The Opposition Leader said according to the composition in
Parliament, the Budget can only be passed with the support of the
Opposition.
De Silva said that President Maithripala Sirisena expected the
Opposition to point out mistakes and make constructive criticism of the
Budget. He also hailed the budget proposals to curtail the provision
made for the President. The interim budget cannot be described as a
miracle, he said.
Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka's speech was clear
proof of fraud, corruption and exploitation of public funds by the
previous regime. He said this interim Budget was presented against
racketeers who exploited public funds. Minister Ranawaka said that
almost hundred percent of the country's tax revenue was controlled by
the former President and his two brothers.
The biggest amount of public funds was looted during the Rajapaksa
regime. The Rajapaksa regime's imposition of unbearable taxes on fuel
and food commodities and siphoning off a huge amount of money for those
who led super luxury lifestyles. Minister Ranawaka said this was a crime
of the previous regime and the interim budget could check it and ensure
social justice.
Another large scale fraud and waste during the previous regime was
exposed on the floor of the House following a query raised by DNA
parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake as a large number of vehicles
of the Presidential Secretariat during the tenure of former President
went missing. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told the House that
the Government will have to seek the assistance of soothsayers to track
down the missing vehicles. The Premier said that they may have to even
seek the help of Sumanadasa, the official astrologer of the former
President to trace these vehicles.
He said nobody knew how many vehicles were at the Presidential
Secretariat as there was no official record of the vehicles purchased by
the Presidential Secretariat. They could be Lamborghinis, Toyotas or
even Nanos. The Premier said the Presidential Secretariat staff is
attempting to trace details of the vehicles and they may need to consult
vehicle importers to get details. He said Parliament would be kept
informed when further details are collected. Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe stressed the need to appoint a special Commission or
Parliamentary Select Committee to probe the Rathupaswala incident where
three civilians were killed and 15 others were injured during a public
protest.
JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake who made a special statement on
the previous day in Parliament said that the answers presented in
Parliament on the shooting incident at Rathupaswela, Weliweriya in reply
to a question by him were not true. The MP described it as an attack
against hapless people. He asked him to disclose the name of the
official who ordered to send the army to attack a peaceful protest.
The Premier said that Party Leaders should decide whether to appoint
a special Commission or a Parliamentary Select Committee to report on
the incident. He was not satisfied with the reports furnished by the
Defence Ministry and Police Department on the incident.
Three Parliamentarians, UNP MPs Tissa Attanayake, and Palitha
Thewarapperuma and UPFA MP Premalal Jayasekara who were in remand
arrived in Parliament in the Black Maria on Thursday. When MP Attanayake
entered the Chambers the Opposition MPs thumped their desks welcoming
him. After MP Attanayake took his seat, Finance Minister Ravi
Karunanayake who was on the floor said that MP Attanayake was able to
walk into the Chamber as the new Government believed and launched good
governance.
The Minister said that during the former regime, an MP who was
remanded could never have set foot in the Chamber. However, Opposition
Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the police had taken MP
Attanayake into custody without informing the Speaker in advance. This
led several Government legislators to respond to the Opposition Leader's
remarks.
Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said
that he was arrested in 1994 without prior permission from the then
Speaker. UPFA MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that he was also arrested in
1971 but police had obtained permission from the Speaker before doing
so. Deputy Justice Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe called upon the Speaker
to consider the importance of precedence in Parliament as that would be
helpful to all MPs. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa told the House that he
would give a ruling on the matter after studying rulings given by his
predecessors.
The main Opposition UPFA on Monday moved an adjournment motion
against the removal of Mohan Peiris as Chief Justice. Parliamentary
sittings were also suspended for 10 minutes during the debate as the
Opposition MPs staged a protest. An uproar broke out when Housing and
Samurdhi Minister Sajith Premadasa told the House that those who branded
Maithripala Sirisena as a Tiger were now seeking refuge with him.
Except the DNA and TNA members, all Opposition MPs were present at
the sittings wearing black bands as a sign of protest against the
removal of Mohan Peiris from the post of Chief Justice. Opposition
members prevented Minister Premadasa from continuing saying that the
majority of parliamentarians were in the Opposition. As the situation
could not be brought under control, Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody
suspended sittings for ten minutes.
The Opposition Leader who moved the adjournment motion thanked the
President for providing the opportunity to hold this debate. However, he
said the Government has challenged the ruling given by the Speaker. The
Opposition Leader also said they would bring in a No-confidence Motion
against Public Order, Disaster Management and Christian Affairs Minister
John Amaratunga as he had failed to maintain law and order in the
country. He said Amaratunga's conduct in a recent incident at the
Wattala Pradeshiya Sabha has proved that he had failed to carry out his
duties properly.
The JVP on Friday accused the main Opposition UPFA of trying to
silence them without allocating time for the debates in Parliament. JVP
Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake raising a Point of Order said that when
the UPFA was in power, it attempted to prevent their voice being heard
in Parliament. Now they are trying to do the same even as the
Opposition.
Chief Opposition Whip W.D.J. Seneviratne responding to the MP said
that there were 157 members in the Opposition and the Budget debate
needed 300 minutes of which the Government and Opposition had been
allocated 150 minutes each. He said 22 minutes had been allocated for
the DNA (JVP) of which 12 were given on Thursday and the remaining 10
minutes were given yesterday. The MP queried from the Chief Opposition
Whip as to how he decides on dates for them? Finally, the Prime Minister
proposed to allocate one more hour for the debate and postpone
Saturday's vote from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. so that more time could be given
to the TNA and the DNA.
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