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‘Let’s take this outside’, Chamal challenges Fonseka 

09 Apr 2021

  • Fires back after Fonseka blames Ex Speaker for denying rights 

  A tense situation arose in Parliament yesterday (8) following an argument between Minister of Irrigation and former Speaker of the Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka where Rajapaksa taunted MP Fonseka and said “Let’s take this outside.”  The argument arose in the context of the debate on the seat left vacant by SJB MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s disqualification.  While the vacating of the Parliamentary seat was being debated upon by the House and addressed during his turn by Fonseka, the latter said that Rajapaksa was the Speaker of the House when he was not admitted to Parliament despite three appeals that were made by him.  “I am reminded of how badly your Government treated me between 2010 and 2015. The Speaker of that Parliament is in this House today. We appealed to three Courts and even whilst the appeals were pending, I was not allowed to come to Parliament.”  This statement was followed by a commotion where Rajapaksa claimed that he is the one who allowed Fonseka to come to Parliament.  “I am the one who allowed you to come to Parliament.”  Following the “let’s take this outside” comment, the Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana suspended the session for five minutes. A protest was staged inside the House where members of the Opposition from the SJB held banners and placards condemning the vacation of the Parliamentary seat of Ramanayake.  When the session recommenced, Rajapaksa expressed his regret if his words in Parliament had caused any distress to anyone. Addressing the Parliament, Fonseka said that while he admits that he too partook in a tense argument, it was however not he who had started it.  On 7 April, Speaker Abeywardana informed the Parliament that the Parliamentary seat of Ramanayake has been declared vacant as he ceases to be a MP as per the Parliament Election Act and the Constitution. A Gazette notification was issued yesterday announcing the appointment of SJB Gampaha District runner up to Ramanayake in terms of the votes garnered at the last General/Parliamentary Election, Ajith Mannapperuma to this seat.  The writ application filed by Ramanayake who is currently serving a four year sentence for contempt of court upon conviction by the Supreme Court (SC), against any action being taken on his Parliamentary seat, was rejected by the Court of Appeal on 5 April. Leader of the Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa told the Parliament yesterday that Ramanayake has initiated a process of challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal in the SC.


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