Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
Uproar in Parliament over private TV channel
Parliament went into an uproar today after Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa alleged that there was a move to suspend the operations of a private television channel by cancelling its licence.
"We have reliable information that the government has already embarked on cancelling the license. We want someone responsible to make a statement on this,” Premadasa said.
The uproar began when the Speaker went ahead with the business of the House when SJB MPs raised points of order.
SJB MPs then started shouting while MP Velu Kumar who was raising a point of order stormed into the well while the other SJP MPs stormed in minutes. Few Government MPs also stormed into the well.
Minister Bandula Gunawardene said the present government will not suppress the media at any time. “Those who shout today are the ones who killed journalist Richard Soyisa. The member of Dehiwala Mount Lavinia who commented on a poster ‘who is he what is he doing is unheard of even today. These opposition MPs always come out with false allegations and disrupt the House. It is the Yahapalana government which suppressed the media most,” the Minister said.
“The opposition today fabricates things today and disrupts democratic institutions without tendering an apology for their past wrongdoings. There is a way to raise questions. An MP has to submit a written request prior to raising a question,” Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardene said.
“ Disrupting Parliament is also a serious crime. We oppose this move by the opposition,” Gunawardene added.
MPs Gajendra Kumar Ponnembalam and Anuna Kumara Dissanayake also stated their opposition over the alleged move. He also protested against the arrest of JVP activists Samantha Vidayaratne and Namal Karunaratne. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)
Comments - 10
Recommended
You May Also Like
Trending
