8 June 2023 06:12 pm
Police officers have done nothing wrong in arresting MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam as he was holding a meeting near a GCE Ordinary Level examination coordination centre, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said today.
“The two officers who had come to the location where the MP was having a meeting had established their identity and showed their identity cards as well. However, the MP had tried to manhandle them. Also, the MP had used abusive language,” the Minister said.
“I will table all the video clips to the House once I get everything,” the Minister said.
However, an argument flared up when MP Ponnambalam objected to the statement and said he cannot accept anyone as police officers unless they showed an identity card.
The Minister said the MP had not attended Parliament on June 6 though he had come to Colombo to attend House sessions.
MP Ponnambalam who interrupted at this point said he did come to Parliament at 5 pm and handed over a written privilege issue.
“I handed over the privilege issue as no one can stop an MP from attending Parliament,” he said.
MP Mohammed Muzammil who joined the cross talk said valuable time of Parliament was being wasted on communal politics.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana who intervened said the matter cannot be discussed in the House as it has now gone to legal authorities. “MPs should act with restraint,” he said. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)