The issue relating to Parliamentarian RishardBathiudeen being brought to the House from Police custody once again figured in Parliament today.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa requested the Speaker to allow MP Bathiudeen to attend Parliament without any hindrance. Chief Opposition Whip Lakshaman Kiriella said that as the protector of the right of Parliamentarians, the Speaker should take immediate action to see that Bathiudeen is brought to Parliament to attend the sessions.
Kiriella said within, 24 hours they gave three different reasons not to bring Bathiudeen to Parliament. ” First, they said they need your signature, then yesterday they told that there was an issue relating to the spreading pandemic and so on and told his wife something entirely different. Kiriella then called upon the House to respect tradition.
At this juncture, Minister Sarath Weerasekaraopposed the opposition’s move and requested the Speaker to refrain from bringing him to Parliament.
“ He can make various statements, under Parliamentary privilege and jeopardiseinvestigations and allow those who are to be arrested, to flee the country or prepare with their defence,” the Minister said.
TNA parliamentarian M.A Sumanthiran responding told Parliament that a Minister for the first time ever has stated that somebody detained under an administrative action cannot be brought to Parliament. This is unprecedented, it has never happened in Parliamentary History. Until and unless somebody is found guilty under a judicial pronouncement, this is not applicable. If what the Minister says is a rule, then any member can be held under suspicion through an administrative act, and he would lose his seat after three months. It can happen to any opposition member, he said. The President and the Prime Minister are nodding in agreement, I wish they speak up otherwise an unwarranted thing will happen where a political opponent could be detained in suspicion and held for three months where he loses his seat. This cannot happen he insisted.
Parliamentarian Sarath Fonseka said that any member of the august assembly is a representative of the people therefore he should be allowed to attend Parliamentary proceedings without obstruction.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General has told the Director, Criminal Investigation Department on inquiry, that there was no legal impediment whatsoever in allowing Bathiudeen to attend Parliament.
