UPFA rebels throw House into turmoil and stage walkout

By Saman Indrajith-September 23, 2015, 9:50 pm 

Opposition MPs of the UPFA walked out of Parliament yesterday, protesting against the government’s move to take up financial orders for debate disregarding parliamentary traditions and suspending Standing Orders.

When a motion was moved for the debate by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, UPFA MP Chandrasiri Gajadeera raising a point of order said that the resolutions listed in the motion were very important and sought parliament’s approval for government to meet past expenditure running to billions of rupees and MPs needed time to study them before the debate commenced.

Gajadeera said that it was against the provisions of the Standing Orders to present such resolutions and taking them up for debate on the same day. He demanded that his protest be recorded in the Hansard.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe: We have discussed taking these resolutions for debate with the party leaders. We cannot continue the procedures of parliament if every single MP gets up and presents his or her individual opinion. The MPs cannot get up and take parliament time and speak at will like woodpeckers pecking on trees."

MPs Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Udaya Gammanpila, Dinesh Gunawardena, Sriyani Wijewickrama, Prasanna Ranathunga, Dilum Amunugama, Chandrasiri Gajadheera, Prasanna Ranaweera, Indika Anuruddha got up, alleging that the Prime Minister was resorting to unparliamentary language by likening MPs to birds and animals. They shouted that the government had suspended Standing Orders to rush financial bills through parliament undemocratically.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya suspended the sittings for 15 minutes and called for a party leaders’ meeting in his chamber, informing the House that he would give a ruling on the matter whether the motion could be debated or not.

When the House resumed sittings the Speaker announced that he was of the opinion that the motion could be moved for debate.

UPFA MPs Kumara Welgama, Namal Rajapaksa, Kanaka Herath, Rohitha Abeygunawardena and Niroshan Premaratne got up, saying that they would walk out if the motion was moved for debate. As the motion was moved, UPFA MPs left the chamber in protest. Only Badulla District MP Lakshman Seneviratne and National List MP Dr. Sarath Amunugama remained in the House.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe: We have nothing to hide. When you demand a debate we give time. When the debate is given you run away from it. Parliament is to hold debates not to stage walkouts. This sort of protest may be called beggars’ revolutions. You came to Parliament thanks to SLFP votes. Now you try to disrupt parliamentary proceedings."

TNA and the JVP members remained in their seats and participated in the debate.