Rs 2,500 wage hike for estate workers too

Also for State sector:

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Labour Minister W.D.J. Senewiratne's proposal yesterday to extend the Rs 2,500 salary hike for the private sector to the plantation sector came even as the parliament police foiled Badulla District UNP MP Vadivel Suresh's apparent attempt to self-immolate.

Parliament Police officers last evening prevented Badulla District UNP parliamentarian Vadivel Suresh trying to bring two cans of petrol and kerosene to self-immolate in the Chamber of Parliament.

The MP on the previous day said he would set himself ablaze against the Government's failure to increase the salaries of estate sector workers.

The MP who arrived in his car at the MPs entrance around 4.15 pm yesterday and alighted from the

vehicle with two cans went through the corridor to enter Parliament.

Police officers attempted to stop him but he insisted that he wanted to commit suicide in the Chamber. MP Suresh said he had pledged to the House and needed to carry it out.

Police then summoned additional officers and prevented the MP from taking the cans and took the cans away while the latter protested.

Police officers attempted to stop him but he insisted that he wanted to commit suicide in the Chamber. MP Suresh said he had pledged to the House and needed to carry it out.

Police then summoned additional officers and prevented the MP from taking the cans and took the cans away while the latter protested. Ministers P. Digambaran, Deputy Minister Nimal Lanza and former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa arrived and helped the policemen to get the cans from the MP.

They tried to convince him and explain that it was against the law. Deputy Sergeant at Arms Narendra Fernando and Assistant Sergeant at Arms Kushan Jayaratne also assisted the Police.

After recovering the two cans from the MP, Policemen checked him again before accompanying him to the Chamber.