Uproar in the House

The dignity and decorum of Parliament were threatened when the Government and Joint Opposition legislators clashed with each other in the well of the House and several MPs sustained injuries which led to the sittings being suspended on Tuesday (May 3) following the Joint Opposition's demand to reverse the decision to curtail the security provided to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The unruly behaviour of parliamentarians was a clear testimony to their blatant disregard to the draft Code of Conduct placed before Parliament last month.

The first episode of the 'drama' began when Joint Opposition Leader Dinesh Gunawardena raised a question on the curtailment of the security provided to former President Rajapaksa after removing the contingent of Army commandos and deploying STF for his security. MP Gunawardena in turn asked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe whether the government would change this decision.

Despite the assurance by the Premier to ensure the security of the former President, the Joint Opposition members attempted to convince the House that the life of the former President was in

jeopardy due to the government's decision. However, the Premier told the UPFA rebel MPs that they all need to protect the former President as it was because of him that they came to power.

Plunged into chaos

Later the House was plunged into chaos when the Premier asked Minister Sarath Fonseka to further explain the VIP's security arrangements. When Minister Fonseka began to read out from a prepared text, all Joint Opposition members got up from their seats and protested against the Prime Minister as he passed the responsibility to a Minister to speak on the security issue of the former President which the rebels described as a very serious matter. This led the Joint Opposition MPs headed by Dinesh Gunawardena to invade the Well of the House and move towards the Chair.

Despite the protest, Minister Fonseka continued to read out his statement only parts of which were audible. The government legislators too walked to the Well of the House and the 'drama' reached a climax when heated arguments were exchanged between government and Joint Opposition backbenchers finally ending up fisticuffs.

UNP Kegalle District MP Sandith Samarasinghe was rushed to the National Hospital as a result of the brawl, the worst in Parliament during the past 12 years.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya who vehemently condemned the incident on Tuesday (May 3) appointed a special committee comprising Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala and Deputy Chairman of Committees Selvam Adaikalanathan to investigate the incident. The Committee submitted its report on Wednesday (May 4). The Committee had identified UPFA Gampaha District MP Prasanna Ranaweera and UNP Kalutara District MP and Deputy Minister Palitha Thevarapperuma as those who instigated the brawl and recommended disciplinary action against them. Parliament on Thursday (May 5) suspended the two parliamentarians from Parliament for one week. Although some opposition MPs opposed the Committee report, the House approved it.

Unparliamentary conduct

However, the report by the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of Committees had leaked to the media. It was also observed that the conduct of UPFA MPs Dinesh Gunawardena, Bandula Gunawardena and Piyal Nishantha de Silva was unparliamentary as they disregarded the order from the Chair and created disturbances in the House on Tuesday. The two-member committee report also stressed that MPs invading the Well of Parliament was an indecent act as was noticed during recent times and added that MPs coming to the Well in groups could lead to violent clashes.

It was evident that the Joint Opposition had made deliberate attempts to disrupt the proceedings of the House under the pretext of Parliamentary Standing Orders during the past couple of months. The scenario orchestrated by them ended up in a fracas in Parliament raising serious doubts among the public as to how parliamentary proceedings could be conducted in such a chaotic atmosphere. The matter also stressed the need to issue severe warnings to all those MPs who invaded the Well of Parliament which has become a common phenomenon in recent times. The Draft Code of Conduct circulated among MPs bars them from assaulting, harassing or intimidating other MPs.

After Tuesday's 'drama' enacted in the House, the Joint Opposition members once again made a big hue and cry in Parliament on Thursday (May 5) demanding the immediate resignation of Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake after the recount of a vote taken at the end of Thursday's debate to give approval for a supplementary estimate of Rs. 55 million. The Joint Opposition members complained that the original result of the vote had been distorted and that the Secretary General of Parliament had assured a recount.

Supplementary estimate

The TNA and UNP voted for the supplementary estimate while the JVP and Joint Opposition MPs voted against it. Presiding Member Lucky Jayawardana who announced the results told the House that there were 33 votes for the supplementary estimate and 31 against. Thereafter, he adjourned the House and ordered the Serjeant-at-Arms Anil Parakrama Samarasekera to take the Mace away. The Opposition members after counting the votes themselves, shouted that the majority was theirs and they would not accept the result.

As the Mace was being taken back, Opposition MPs came to the Well of the House and shouted that it was unjust to distort the results of the vote. JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake described the moves as a 'Daylight robbery' while some Joint Opposition MPs remained in the chamber, saying that they would continue to stay until justice was done. The Speaker on Friday (May 6) appointed a four-member committee to investigate and submit a report to the House on the incident following a protest by the Joint Opposition which led to suspend the sittings for one hour on Friday.