Speaker, Opposition Leader accuse each other of telling lies

 

By Saman Indrajith-2022/04/21

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday in Parliament accused Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena of backtracking on the latter’s statement that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had expressed his willingness to step down if party leaders made a request to that effect.

Opposition Leader Premadasa said that the Speaker had informed the Party leaders’ meeting that President Rajapaksa was willing to resign if all the party leaders wanted him to do so. “Now we all are ready to ask him to do so. We all demand that the President should resign immediately,” the Opposition Leader said.

Speaker Abeywardena denied having told the party leaders that President Rajapaksa was ready to resign if the leaders of political parties requested him to do so. “There are social media posts that I informed party leaders of the President’s willingness to resign if they make a request,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition Premadasa said: “The Speaker informed the party leaders of the President’s willingness to resign. I am not a fool to distort what you said. Don’t deny your statement. You are a Tom Pachaya (inveterate liar).”

Speaker Abeywardena: “It is you who are coming up with tom pacha (blatant lies). I only said the President was ready to hand over the government to anyone who commanded a majority in the House.”

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella supported Premadasa’s claim.

Speaking on the Rambukkana shooting incident, the Opposition Leader said that an independent inquiry should be conducted by a group of retired Supreme Court judges into the incident. We do not think an investigation by the police would reveal the truth. We know how the Welikada shooting incident was investigated. Now, it is being reported that the government got its henchmen to set a bus on fire during the Mirihana protest. We as a party will look after the family of the person who was killed in police shooting at Rambukkana.

“This is a government that kills people. We condemn the attempts by Minister Prasanna Ranatunga to mislead this House as regards the Rambukkana incident. The person was killed K.D. Chaminda Lakshan was a resident of Narambedda, Hiriwatunna in Rambukkana. He was a father of two. He was participating in a protest. It is his constitutional right. He has a right to engage in politics and freedom of expression. He has a right to protest. The government should take full responsibility for the killing of the innocent man.