JO MP Gamini Lokuge is said to have sought treatment from a private hospital after being attacked by UNP MP S.M Marikkar during the brawl that erupted at Parliament today. The Parliament gathered for a special parliament sitting to discuss the Bond report which was handed over to the President recently.
The MP’s clashed today when a special statement was being made by Premier Ranil Wickramasinghe.
Despite requests made by party leaders from President Sirisena to present the Bond commission report and other reports regarding 34 other possibly corrupt financial irregularities during the Rajapaksa regime however these reports were not sent to parliament today.
To be presented on the 17th
However, Secretary to the President is said to have informed the Speaker that the reports will be presented to the parliament on January 17 according to advice by the Attorney General.
The move to not present the reports drew serious criticism from the Joint Opposition, the Tamil National Alliance and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. The situation grew tense when the PM was given the opportunity to make a special statement in parliament as well today.
Brawl inside the parliament
MP’s of the JO voiced their dissent against the PM by showing placards and acting in a disorderly manner. The fight erupted between the two parties when UNP MP’s attempted to respond to the protestors.
While the PM continued with the speech insults and profanities were exchanged between the MP’s as both parties accused each other of being ‘Thieves’. A full-scale brawl erupted when a JO MP threw a book at Wickramasinghe who was still making the speech at the time.
MP Kavinga Jayawardena was taken away from the house by UNP MP’s as he lost consciousness during the tussle between the parliamentarians.
JO and JVP boycott
The Speaker halting proceedings of the house called for a party leaders meeting after the PM’s speech was disturbed continuously. However the JO and JVP decided to boycott the meeting in protest.
As the parliament gathered the PM was allowed to continue with the speech as a result of the meeting. However while some MP’s of the opposition continued to protest, members of the JO were seen leaving the house.
PM in his speech explained steps taken by the government regarding the bond scam
The PM explained the steps taken by the government from March 2015 to investigate the bond issue he said the government continuously took necessary action and reported details on the issue to the Parliament, COPE committee, Attorney General Department.
“All that remains now is to recover the loss from the wrong doers” the PM said.
Will punish wrongdoers
The PM stressed that any wrong doers will be punished after investigations are carried in to other bond auctions held between 2008 - 2014 as recommended by the President.
He also said former President and the then Minister of Finance Mahinda Rajapaksa should make a statement regarding this to parliament.
Parliament was rescheduled to January 23 by the Speaker at the end of the day.
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