Marapana should resign if police acted unilaterally: JVP

1 November 2015 12:14 pm

The Minister of Law and Order should resign his portfolio if the the police had unilaterally decided to baton charge the students of the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA), the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today.
 
JVP Leader and Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a media briefing that the Law and Order Minister Tilak Marapana should resign if the police had on its own and without the prior knowledge of the minister had decided to attack the students during their protest last week.

"The indiscriminate attack only highlights the minister's failure to monitor and the direct the institutions under his purview," Mr. Dissanayake said. “The Police is part of the government and the government cannot run away from its responsibilities."

He said the police had acted against the law because they could only hit a person below the waist but in this instance the Police were clearly seen hitting the students on the head as well.

Mr. Dissanayake said the students were compelled to go ahead with the protest because they were denied an opportunity to meet the subject minister by the ministry authorities.

He said he would make a special statement in parliament on Tuesday regarding the matter. (Yohan Perera)