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by Ranil Wijayapala and Bharatha Malawaraarachchi

Chief Government Whip and Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said yesterday that the Government no longer would respond to the request by Matara District UNP MP Mahinda Wijesekara in Parliament regarding S. B. Dissanayake, as former Minister G. L. Peiris has told them the UNP did not need any pardon for S. B. Dissanayake from the President.

Addressing a press conference at his office in Parliament Minister Fernadopulle said Mahinda Wijesekera's request to the Speaker was that S. B. Dissanayake should be brought to Parliament considering him as a political prisoner after obtaining pardon from the President.

"We as the Government group agreed to convey this message to the President. But, the Government is not committed to do so following G. L. Peiris's statement that the UNP do not need pardon to S. B. Dissanayake from the President", Fernadopulle added. He said it is now in the hands of the Speaker to decide whether S. B. Dissanayake should be brought to Parliament or not.

Leader of the House and River Basin Development and Rajarata Development Minister Maitripala Sirisena said there is a clear division within the United National Party.

JVP Propaganda Secretary and UPFA Colombo District MP Wimal Weerawansa said that the United National Party has not done its duty towards its National Organiser by correcting his statement and they (the Government) was compelled to take it as a UNP stance expressed by S. B. Dissanayake. "The Supreme Court in its judgement against S. B. Dissanayake has clearly said that UNP has not taken any step to correct the statement made by S. B. Dissanayake as he had made this statement as his party's stance", Weerawansa added.

Weerawansa said there is clear division between the rebel group within the UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as was seen by the fact that the Opposition Leader could not control them inside the Chamber, he added.

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