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Rowdy scenes again marred Parliamentary proceedings yesterday morning when placards reading ‘10 percent’ suddenly held aloft by UNP MPs greeted Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa soon after he was sworn in as an MP, amidst applause from Government MPs and well-wishers in the public gallery.
The Speaker later had to suspend sittings for 10 minutes. Mr. Rajapaksa who is usually seen in Western clothes was attired in national dress and sported the ‘kurakkan’ colour ‘saatakaya’ following family tradition.
Present in the VIP gallery to see Mr. Rajapaksa taking oaths were younger brother Defence Secretary Gotabhaya, President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal.
The sessions turned stormy shortly after Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle raised objections to the display of placards by UNP MPs when the new MP was taking his oath. A visibly angry Mr. Fernandopulle charged that the action was totally against Parliamentary traditions which they were expected to uphold.
His remarks appeared to be a signal for certain Government benchers including Ministers Mervyn Silva, Mahindananda Alugthgamage and Sarath Kumara Gunaratne to troop into the Well of the House hurling abuse at the UNPers.The unruly members grabbed placards, crumpled them and threw them at the UNP MPs occupying the front row.
Amid the din in the House, the Speaker suspended sittings at 9.45 a.m. for ten minutes. After the House resumed business for the day, Mr. Lokubandara said that a new MP should take his or her oath in a dignified manner in the House, and any act disrupting it could not be condoned at all.
He also took Mr. Fernandopulle to task for making certain remarks forcing the Government members to become noisy when the House was returning to normalcy.Mr. Fernandopulle reacted to the Speaker saying he had to make such a statement because there was no action taken by the Speaker to condemn the UNP MPs’ behaviour.
Cross talk ensued between Mr. Fernandopulle and the Speaker shortly after this remark. Mr. Lokubandara said he had even tolerated some members taking away some documents placed on his table.
“How long can I tolerate things in this manner?” he asked.He also expressed his disgust at the low level to which the behaviour of some parliamentarians had sunk. Minister Mervyn Silva who is very much in news nowadays, walked into the well of the House again and attempted to confront the UNP members.
However, Mr. Aluthgamage came and led his colleague back to his seat. Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera criticized Mr. Silva’s behaviour and demanded action be taken against him. Mr. Perera also criticized some persons in the public gallery for hooting.
“They hooted at Mr. Rajapaksa taking his oath,” he said.
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