‘Parliament overtaken by terrorism’

Nadira Gunatilleke

Special Projects Minister Mahinda Wijesekara said Parliament is being overtaken by terrorism and a few MPs have taken it upon themselves to hold the Speaker captive and threaten him.

They do this with the intention to get the Speaker change his decisions from time to time and trigger a No-Confidence Motion against him.

“All the drama carried out by the Opposition in connection with four Financial Bills had a few aims. That is preventing the Government from getting an income through tax, organising protests against the Government, telling the world that the Government got them passed in the wrong way or the Government could not get them passed in Parliament”.

The UNP has now dropped Federalism as its long held solution to the current conflict but has not spelt out its alternative, Wijesekara said.

“Mangala-Sripathi duo are now trying their best to get the support of the JVP to increase their number from 105 to 113 by adding another eight from the JVP.

“To do this, they have advised the Opposition Leader to drop the ‘Federal’ solution which is poison to the JVP. They have also promised to induct the former President. The main aim of this new group is grabbing power and getting ministerial posts”, he said.

“We have to form a National Government with the SLFP and the UNP as agreed earlier. The President invited all political parties during the recent Wap magul festival. But the aim of the so-called National Council is capturing power, getting ministerial posts and attacking the President.

“There are four years left for the President and there are two years left for the Government,” Wijesekara said.