Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando said that SJB MP Manusha Nanayakkara ran to the Chair threatening the Speaker on Friday evening after he imposed a time limit for the debate in the House.
Speaking in Parliament on Saturday, Minister Fernando said: “The CCTV video footages of the incident would provide evidence and prove the aggressive behaviour of MP Nanayakkara and how he turned violent after the Speaker ruled against additional time. MP Nanayakkara ran to the Chair menacingly and it is our duty to protect the Speaker. I went there to defend the Speaker. An MP has no right to threaten the Speaker or a presiding member. Some of those in the opposition seem to think that they are the governing party in this House when they issue threats and demands to the Speaker. The incumbent Speaker is a man who upholds democratic values unlike his predecessor Karu Jayasuriya who did not even allow the opposition MPs to raise a Point of Order. The incumbent speaker addresses UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the former Prime Minister. During the times of Karu Jayasuriya was the speaker, Mahinda Rajapaksa was addressed as an MP. I tried to protect the Speaker and state that we would not allow anyone in the opposition to lay their hands on the Speaker. We also demand from the Speaker to conduct an investigation against the incident of MP Nanayakkara threatening the Speaker.”
Responding to an allegation by MP Nanayakkara on the father of State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Chief Government Whip said: I am thankful for SJB National List MP Eran Wickramaratne staying in the House. I am also happy to note MP Dr Harsha de Silva preferred to stay in the Chamber at this moment. MP Nanayakkara spoke as if that state minister Wijesekera had violated the due process of procurement procedure with regard to clearing of a container from the port. This matter is known to all Cabinet Ministers because the matter came to the cabinet meeting. The container had been cleared on the approval of the cabinet. The container of canned fish had been detained in the port following an investigation. The cabinet decided to take it over to the government since there was a shortage of canned fish.
P Nanayakkara making use of parliamentary privileges stated that the state minister released the container taking a bribe from a fish merchant. He also alleged that the state minister obtained an expensive wristwatch from that merchant. These are lies. The state minister has been wearing that watch for years now. There should be a limit in slinging mud at others. The worst thing MP Nanayakkara did was slining mud at state minister Wijesekera’s father – former minister Mahinda Wijesekera who is now in the sick bed paralyzed as a result of the LTTE bomb attack on him. It is ugly and immoral to level false allegations against such a person. MP Nanayakkara was the one who tried to attack the Speaker on Friday. The opposition cannot face criticism. Some of its members have now gone to the entrance of parliament to stage a protest against the government.
he truth is that they cannot stand up in this debate therefore they escaped from the House under a false excuse. Some of them try to speak to the international community and complain that there is no democracy in this country. This is the same clique that slings mud at the President, government MPs and Parliament. MP Eran Wickremaratne has come from the national list to this House because he cannot win an election. It is they who try to advise us on how to run this country. Some SJB MPs are staging a protest at the parliament entrance. One of them called me and said that if we go there too, the protesters will disperse. Manusha Nanayakkara has a history of jumping from one side to another. This is a debate of the opposition not of the government.
n allocating time they are given 60 percent of time and we have only 40 percent. But they have left the House because they cannot face the debate properly. If the SJB does not want to use the time allocated for their MPs we can give it to the TNA and JVP. If they too reject that proposal we can end the sessions early and save time and money.“
