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| Wednesday, 9 June 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| 113 target achieved by Sandasen Marasinghe Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle revealed yesterday that the UPFA was in a position to demonstrate a clear majority in Parliament and that another JHU member was about to join the Government ranks. We have 105 members of the UPFA, one from the EPDP, five from the SLMC and 2 members from the JHU making up the 113 required for a clear majority." Addressing a media briefing at the Government Information Centre yesterday Fernandopulle said apart from the Ven. Aparekke Pannaseeha they had another JHU member whose identity they would not reveal at the moment. The Minister explaining the incident at Parliament yesterday said there was a heated argument and a commotion in the House and cross talk among MPs. However there was no assault on the MP monks. "The situation arose when the Ven. Akmeemana Dayarathana Thera was called to take oaths by the Speaker and by this time myself, Wimal Weerawansa and Maithripala Sirisena and others pointed out that there was an enjoining order against the said Thera restraining him from taking oaths, sitting and voting as an MP." He said "The Speaker disregarded our views and attempted to continue the process of administering oaths". The Minister said several MPs carried the Ven. Dayarathana Thera to the Speaker's Rostrum and got the oath administered before the Speaker. "But by this time the Mace had been removed by an MP and hence the oath was invalid"adding that this was a deliberate ploy by the UNF opposition to place the Government in difficulty. Minister Maithripala Sirisena said under the circumstances the Speaker suspended Parliament and summoned the Party leaders' meeting and later the House adjourned till July 20th. MP Wimal Weerawansa said that an enjoining order has been issued against the Ven. Akmeemana Dayarathana Thera and the act by the latter to take oaths was a clear violation of a Court ruling while the Parliament too had aided and abetted by administering the oath while the matter was being challenged before the House. He said all officials including the Secretary General of Parliament should ensure that the supremacy of Parliament is upheld at all times. He charged that this was a clear case of working to fulfil the agenda of the UNF. Weerawansa said that this was also an act to condemn the Bhuddists by manipulating the monks to suit their ends, in the eyes of the public. |
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