Speaker officially informed about Sripathi's arrest - Chief Govt Whip

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Ranil Wijayapala and Irangika Range

KOTTE: Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle yesterday told Parliament that the CID has officially informed the Speaker on the arrest of Gampaha District MP Sripathi Suriyarachchi.

"Therefore the MP's privilege has not been breached or damage caused to the dignity and decorum of the House," the Minister said.

Fernandopulle was responding to a Point of Order raised by Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera requesting to immediately summon the MP who has been remanded to Parliament.

"The privileges of both the MP and other Parliamentarians have been breached following Suriyarachchi's arrest by producing him before Courts," he said.

According to the Chief Opposition Whip after being produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate, the MP has been released. Later, he had been produced before the Fort Magistrate who ordered him be remanded.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said after the MP was released by the Kaduwela Magistrate, he cannot be produced before the Fort Magistrate again based on the same allegations against him.

Wickremesinghe requested the Speaker to summon Fort Magistrate, IGP and other top police officials to Parliament and inquire them on the procedure followed to arrest and remand the MP. Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara said the CID Director through a letter sent to him on March 19 has informed about Suriyarachchi's arrest.

Wickremesinghe said the charge levelled against Suriyarachchi was the alleged use of a Government vehicle.

At present Ministers use a large number of vehicles. This has become a tradition at present. If this has become a tradition, we have to discuss whether this should be further continued or not. Otherwise any Parliamentarian can be arrested against the same charge," he said.

Wickremesinghe said in 1989, during the time of then President R. Premadasa, back up vehicles were given to Ministers. After 1994, this trend was expanded and abused later.

According to the Opposition Leader, the Fort Magistrate, IGP and other Police officials have breached the privileges of both the MP and the House. "Therefore, all these people should be summoned before Parliament."

Fernandopulle thanked the Opposition Leader for making a big voice on the MP's arrest. However he said Wickremesinghe did not make any voice when MP S.B. Dissanayake was arrested. Otherwise he would have also been brought to Parliament.

He said during the regime of the UNP, several PA Parliamentarians like Dilan Perera and D.M. Dassanayake were arrested while PA Western Provincial Councillor Sunil Mendis was assassinated.

UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella said under Section 13, the MP should be taken to the nearest Court and that is Kaduwela Magistrate Court.

"This is a matter concerning all of us. Therefore the Fort Magistrate and top Police officials involved in this incident should be summoned before Parliament," he said.

JVP Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa said this incident shows the deterioration of the country's politics.

"The misuse of Government properties has become a normal thing at present," he said.

He said the Government should have the ability to listen and tolerate opposition views as well as various views expressed by its own Party Members. If the Government arrests a single MP without taking any decision on its other members, it is just only a step taken due to Government's inability to tolerate views expressed by that particular MP, Weerawansa said.

Fisheries Minister Felix Perera said when former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga won the 1994 Presidential Election, the next day Ranil Wickremesinghe left Temple Trees.

"When the JVP left the Government, they immediately returned their vehicles given to their Ministries.

Therefore once a Minister loses his portfolio, he cannot keep the vehicles." National Heritage Minister Anura Bandaranaike said the dignity and decorum of the House should be maintained.

"We should not under-estimate the dignity of the House," he said.