TNA objects minute's silence for Kebithigollewa victims

Ranil Wijayapala and Uditha Kumarasinghe

KOTTE: The Kebithigollewa horror had its reverberations in Parliament yesterday though in a bizarre fashion when some members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) objected to the minute's silence observed by the House on behalf of the victims.

The TNA members who did not join in the minute's silence by the other MPs as a mark of respect for the victims, continued their protest in the Chamber throwing the House into chaos.

TNA MP M.K. Eelaventhan and S. Rajendran remained seated when all members observed one minute's silence following JVP Parliament group leader Wimal Weerawansa requesting Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara to allow them to observe one minute's silence to remember the innocent massacred in Kebithigollewa.

Jaffna district TNA member Nadarajah Raviraj who was not even present in the chamber when one minute's silence was observed started the protest after raising a point of order when Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thera was on his feet to make a special statement.

Not stopping with the point of order, the TNA MPs led by Raviraj, M.K. Eelaventhan and S. Rajendran stormed the Well of the House. Eelaventhan was holding a placard.

As members from the Government benches too walked into the House protesting against the TNA MPs' conduct before the Speaker, Serjeant-at-Arms Anil Samarasekara and Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando separated the two parties.

Rajendran Raviraj and Eelaventhan were seen crossing words with government members and JVP members.

As the TNA MPs were conducted to their seats, Colombo district UNP MP T. Maheshwaran joined in the fray by pointing a finger at Wimal Weerawansa.

Maheshwaran attempted to assault JVP MP Weerakumara Dissanayake who was blocking him from reaching Wimal Weerawansa while other members slammed the desk lamp of Suresh Premachandran. However Premachandran was not in his seat at the time.

After failing in his effort to kick Dissanayaka, Maheshwaran hit Weerakumara Dissanayake with book on TNA Parliament group leader R. Sampanthan's table.

The Speaker suspended sittings for 15 minutes at 10.30 a.m. Heated arguments dominated the Chamber after sittings were suspended. TNA MP Nadaraja Raviraj was also seen accusing JHU Bhikkhu MPs.

He was also seen arguing with UNP MP Naveen Dissanayake.

TNA Parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan and Wanni district MP Sivanathan Kishor were subduing their members while Hemakumara Nanayakkara separate the MPs involved in the melee. The sittings were resumed again at 10.55 a.m. after Parliament workers removed shattered glasses from the desk lamp which was broken by Maheshwaran and replaced it with a new one.